InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said there is no conflict in the situation of Senator Edgardo Angara and his son prosecution spokesman Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, and the father should not inhibit himself from the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“Why should he inhibit himself? His son is an adult. He is not a dependent of Senator Angara. Why should there be conflict? “Enrile said in an interview after the Senate suspended its session Tuesday morning.
Instead of raising technical issues on the role of senator-judges, the defense team should present their evidence and witnesses that will prove Corona’s innocence, the Senate chief said.
“Yung mga sinasalang nilang mga witnesses, ano’ng pakialam namin kung illegal yung sale nung lupa sa city of Manila? Binayaran naman si Mrs. Corona ng P34.7 million? Yun ay ipaliwanag nila. Ano ang nangyari doon? (Of the witnesses they presented, what do we care if the sale of the lot in Manila is illegal? Wasn’t Mrs. Corona paid P34.7 million? Explain that. What happened there?)” Enrile asked.
He also denied being biased for the prosecution when he scolded the defense team last Monday for presenting witnesses who are irrelevant and immaterial to the impeachment trial.
“Bakit sila maghihinanakit? Kami naman ay dinidinig sila pero dadalhin nila yung mga witnesses na ganun sa amin na very clear na wala namang kinalalaman doon sa impeachment. I-justify nila. At saka, pina-iinhibit ang mga senador, eh di ipa-inhibit nila ako (Why are they hurt? We hear them out but they bring witnesses that have no relevance to the impeachment. They should justify their witnesses. And they want senators to inhibit themselves, will they want me to inhibit myself?) I will not inhibit myself, I stand by what I am doing,” he said.
“[They ] come here and talk about non-payment of dues, condominium dues and non-payment of collection of market fees, what has that got to do with the impeachment trial? Tell me. They are supposed to be brilliant lawyers, de-kampana na mga abogado, eh di ipaliwanag nila sa amin (big-time lawyers, then they should explain to us),” he said.
He denied being partial to either side.
“Wala akong sympathy maski kanino -- sa prosecution, sa defense. Wala…Pag kumikiling kami sa ibang tao, hindi kami huwes, partisan kami (If we side with anyone, that would make us partisan),” he said.
“What are they arguing about? Ano ba yung ebidensiya na gusto nilang palabasin? Palabasin nila na hindi tinanggap ni Mrs. Corona yung condominium, agreed. Hindi tinanggap yun, dapat hindi nilagay sa SALN dahil hindi tinanggap. Pero, nagbayad ng P9 million. Bakit hindi sinama? Dapat yun ipaliwanag nila (What do their evidence show? Present that Mrs. Corona did not receive the condominium. If it wasn’t received, it should not have been indicated in the SALN. But P9 million was paid. Why wasn’t that included? They should explain it).
“Pangalawa, yung tungkol sa koleksiyon ng market fees. Yung ay isang testigo, ano ang kina-uugnayan nun? Ano kung nangongolekta ang Maynila ng market fee? Ano ang kabuluhan nun sa impeachment ng mahistrado ng Pilipinas? Hindi ko maintindihan. I'm sorry kung nasaktan sila (Second, about the collection of market fees. That is one witness, what is the connection there? What if Manila collects market fees? What is its relevance in the impeachment of the magistrate of the Philippines? I cannot understand. I’m sorry if they are hurt). They can take their remedies against me,” he said.
