Prosecution resting case in 6 trial days
MANILA, Philippines – Congressmen prosecuting Chief Justice Renato Corona in his Senate impeachment trial are eyeing to rest their case against him in six days.
“We expect to finish in six trial days or earlier,” prosecution spokesman Rep. Miro Quimbo of Marikina said yesterday.
“The Corona camp earlier announced it would need eight trial days to present its side. They will most likely have more than that,” he said.
Quimbo said the prosecution would rest its case with Article 7 of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Corona of partiality toward former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, particularly in the Supreme Court’s issuance of its Nov. 15 temporary restraining order (TRO), which would have allowed Arroyo and her husband to leave the country.
“We will be presenting some more witnesses surrounding the issuance and service of the TRO in favor of Mrs. Arroyo,” Quimbo said.
Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., who heads the prosecution panel, said two to four more witnesses would be presented to support Article 7.
“After that, we will decide on suggestions to rest the case because of the strength of Article 2,” Tupas said.
Article 2 accuses Corona of nondisclosure of his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) and failure to declare some of his wealth.
Tupas said what could prolong the presentation of evidence would be a decision on the part of the Supreme Court reversing its TRO on the examination of Corona’s dollar deposits in Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).
Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said the prosecution and the 188 House members who impeached the Chief Justice on Dec. 12 considered the testimonies and documents presented to the Senate impeachment court as the “strongest and clearest” evidence against Corona.
He said officers of PSBank and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) have testified that Corona had more than P31 million in peso deposits as of Dec. 31, 2010.
“It’s obvious that he did not declare these deposits in his 2010 SALN as he reported ‘cash and investments’ amounting only to P3.5 million,” he said.
Angara said the peso deposits are on top of five dollar accounts with PSBank, whose examination the Supreme Court (SC) has stopped.
“In addition, he emptied three peso accounts holding more than P36 million on Dec. 12, the day the House of Representatives overwhelmingly impeached him,” he stressed.
Angara pointed out that previous testimonies and documents presented to the impeachment court showed the Coronas’ property acquisitions.
“CJ Corona did not declare at least three luxurious condominium units, including the P14.5-million Bellagio 1 penthouse in Global City, Taguig, in his SALNs for the years they were acquired,” he added.
Last week, the prosecution presented Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as its first witness on Article 7.
De Lima said Corona helped Mrs. Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, and her husband Jose Miguel in their attempt to leave the country and escape prosecution.
She said the Chief Justice made it appear through SC administrator-spokesman Midas Marquez and in a handwritten note he sent to the clerk of court that the Nov. 15 TRO was immediately effective despite the Arroyos’ non-compliance with all the three conditions for it to take effect.
The SC has prohibited justices and its officers and employees, including Marquez and the clerk of court, from testifying in the impeachment trial on confidential documents and deliberations.
In his answer to the impeachment charges, Corona insisted that the TRO allowing the Arroyos to leave the country was immediately effective.
He said if the conditions were not complied with within five days, the TRO would be lifted.
This assertion prompted prosecutors to comment in their reply to Corona’s answer that the Chief Justice betrayed his real intention: he wanted the Arroyos to immediately flee with or without their compliance on the three conditions.
Sereno could be the key
De Lima also testified that Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, in her dissent to the issuance of the Nov. 15 TRO, wrote about certain irregularities that made it appear that the TRO was immediately effective.
Though the SC, in a Feb. 14 resolution, has prohibited justices and court personnel from appearing in Corona’s impeachment trial, the prosecution hopes that Sereno would volunteer to testify on the irregularities she mentioned in her dissent.
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, a member of the prosecution panel, said the Senate impeachment court should challenge the resolution since it is an “attempt at cover-up” and it bars senator-judges from searching for the truth.
He said the SC issuance prevents court personnel from testifying on simple administrative matters such as the time the TRO resolution was issued and announced, the date and time the Arroyos complied with one or two of the TRO’s three conditions, and the date and time De Lima was furnished a copy of the TRO.
“The SC wants to prevent the truth from coming out. We believe that the Feb. 14 resolution is unconstitutional,” Colmenares said.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=781580&publicationSubCategoryId=63
Subic is a popular destination for visitors from Manila bringing family out of town for a short getaway to the north. Many visitors stopover in Clark Philippines for gourmet dinner at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar and shop for fine vintage wine in Clark Wine Center which offers over 2700 selections of fine and rare vintage wines only available in the Freeport zone. With the SCTex – Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway – now opened and the travel time between Clark and Subic reduced to a mere 30 minutes, Clark is much more accessible to residents of Subic. Residents of Subic and nearby towns of Pampanga such as San Fernando frequently travel to Clark to wine and dine at this top rated restaurant. Many stay on after dinner to relax and unwind in the beautiful wine bar called The Magnum Room.
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Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.
Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.
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Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)
Wine@Yats-International.com
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Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay
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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com
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Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:
Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.
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