Only Corona can redeem himself from Morales testimony – Senator Estrada

By: Karl John C. Reyes, InterAksyon.com
May 16, 2012 2:37 PM

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines – Without prejudging the case against Chief Justice Renato Corona, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said on Wednesday that only Corona can redeem himself amid the damaging testimony of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales regarding his alleged 82 dollar accounts in five banks.

“That is every damaging. You can ask people from all walks of life, they see the figures. Ah, ganun pala si Chief Justice ang daming pera [Oh, so the Chief Justice keeps lots of money]. So, only he can redeem himself from that damaging testimony,” Estrada said in a press interview.

Corona had months ago promised he would testify in his behalf “in due time” but until press time it is not clear when exactly he will testify. Defense lawyers said last week they can get him to take the witness stand if the complainants against him in separate suits in the Office of The Ombudsman will testify ahead.

In response, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile signed subpoenas for Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who testified on Monday and Tuesday; as well as subpoenas for the complainants: Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraque, academician Harvey Keh and Emmanuel T. Santos.

Tuesday night, Corona, in a press statement, renewed calls for judicial independence and dismissed outright calls for him to “step down and bow to the dictates of the administration.”

On the 38th day of the Senate impeachment trial, the defense team “ successfully showed that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to this date has no personal knowledge of the supposed 82 dollar accounts of the Chief Justice and has based her claims solely on the 17-page unsigned and unverified report of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC),” said the Corona press statement.

Asked during the re-direct examination by defense lead counsel (Ret.) Justice Serafin Cueva whether she was able to ascertain which of the supposed dollar accounts of the Chief Justice was existent, Carpio Morales answered “No, Your Honor,” the defense noted.

Asked further by Cuevas whether she can “confirm if the contents of said [AMLA] reports are accurate.” Ombudsman Carpio Morales testified: “I would not have known…It is beyond my competence.”

The defense press statement underscored that Carpio Morales had admitted that she had no actual participation in the gathering of information by the AMLC and that her testimony on the alleged 82 dollar accounts of the Chief Justice were only “lifted from the entries given by AMLC.” She added that the report was “strictly confidential” and personally delivered by AMLC Executive Director Vicente Aquino.

She admitted that she was just given the documents by Executive Director Aquino and did not have any talk nor discussion on the above subject matter with any AMLA official. She claimed that her presumption was that AMLA would give her correct information which she, however, could not verify because she could not go to the banks.

Off-court, Justice Cuevas told reporters: “We practically disclothed her [Ombudsman Carpio Morales]. We are happy.” The prosecution did not conduct a re-cross examination.