Senate issues summons on Ombudsman to appear before Corona impeachment trial

Manila: The Senate sitting as impeachment court trying Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has issued a subpoena on Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and three others in connection with allegations that the top court official maintains a $10 million account.

Carpio-Morales, as well as Rep. Walden Bello, former Akbayan party list Rep. Riza Hontiveros and civil-society leader Harvey Keh of the Kaya Natin Movement were told on Wednesday to testify before the impeachment court on what they know about the supposed secret dollar account with the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) that Corona supposedly maintains.

The prosecution, which is made up of members of the House of Representatives is trying to pin down Corona for not declaring the $10 million deposits in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Late Tuesday afternoon, Corona put an end to the debacle whether he could be compelled to appear before the Senate impeachment court to defend himself from the allegations being hurled against him.

According to Defence panel lawyer Jose "Judd" Roy III, if the Impeachment Court (Senator judges) were inclined that they would address the issue of $ 10 million, they would willingly confront the issue.

Senate President and Impeachment Court Presiding Judge Juan Ponce Enrile told the defence that any asset, without regard on whether legally or illegally obtained, is a function of the SALN.

Roy had said that once these witnesses testify under oath on the alleged US$ 10 million, they would present evidence to contradict this through the testimony of Corona.

Senator-Judge Jinggoy Estrada assured Corona that should he decide to testify, he would be treated fairly.

Enrile, meanwhile, supported Estrada's statement. "We are not going to be abrasive or disrespectful. We're going to grant him (Corona) all courtesies due him as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. There's no one who will insult him, be rude to him. We will treat him with utmost deference including the Ombudsman but when a question is propounded to them [Corona and Carpio-Morales], it is up to them to answer or not," Enrile said Wednesday.

"If they don't answer, there's an implication of non-answer. If they answer, there's also an implication of the answer," the Senate chief added.

Senator-judge Francis Pangilinan weighed in on Corona's decision to testify. He said: "Perhaps they have come to realize that to ignore the public clamour, as well as the clamour of senator-judges for the Chief Justice to appear and explain his side as he had earlier promised, would be detrimental to their case. The senator-judges have time and time again said that they were many questions that continue to remain unanswered--particularly on the issue of his dollar accounts--that only the Chief Justice can and ought to explain."

Pangilinan points out, "If you tally the number of senators who have publicly said that his appearance is vital, you will see that there is near-unanimity on the issue. This may explain why the defence has shifted strategies."