Manila A private lawyer has been found in contempt of court after he covered his ears while Senator Miriam Santiago spoke for the prosecution during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court chief Justice Renato Corona Wednesday.
Private lawyer Vitallano Aguirre was escorted out of the Senate and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile scheduled a caucus to decide the penalty to be imposed on him.
"I did it purposely [covering my ears, while Senator Santiago was talking]. Her shrill voice was giving me pain in the ears," said Aguirre, following a censure from Senator Jinggoy Estrada who said Aguirre's action was "disrespectful".
"I believe that the Senate should respect… [the prosecution]," said Aguirre.
After the senate president ended the session, Senator Santiago confronted the private prosecutor and asked him, "Are you trying me?"
Earlier Santiago berated the prosecution for withdrawing five of the eight Articles of impeachment versus Corona, and at the same time, asking the Senate impeachment court to wait for them to present a Supreme Court associate justice as their witness.
The prosecution should ask instead for a suspension of the trial while waiting to get a witness, said Santiago, who blamed the prosecution for lack of preparation and witnesses.
Observers blamed the House of Representatives for railroading the elevation of the impeachment complaints to the Senate even if there were no witnesses to support the complaints. President Benigno Aquino has openly pushed for Corona's impeachment.
