Corona Lawyers Seek Drilon's Inhibition

Senator-Judges during the first few days of the Impeachment Trial

Defense lawyers of Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona wants Senator Franklin Drilon out as judge during the Impeachment trial

Because of his active membership in the Liberal Party of President Benigno Aquino, III, Senator Franklin Drilon is demanded by the lawyers of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona to seek inhibition from the impeachment trial.

The defense lawyers accused the senator-judge was favoring the prosecution team.

“What can we do if the partiality has already been exhibited to the detriment of our client?” said Ramon Esguerra of the defense team. “When will be the proper time for us to do it (seek inhibition)?”

The defense noted that there were a couple of times last week Drilon acted like a prosecutor instead of a judge such as examining the witnesses. He was able to make the SC clerk of court, Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal, own up that she had in her possession the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of Corona.  He also made the register of deeds of Taguig City, Randy Rutaquio, confirm that the Chief Justice served as his daughter’s “attorney in fact” for a property bought on Oct. 21, 2008 in the said city.

Questions of senator-judges cannot be objected by the counsel even if they do not follow the Rules of Court under the rules of the impeachment court.

Drilon said the defense did not have any basis at all for their call seeking his inhibition last Saturday.  

“I would expect them to do that, to avail (themselves) of that remedy,” the senator said on Sunday. “But I would not heed their call for me to inhibit. I see no basis for that.”

The senator also denied that he was siding with the prosecution.

“I don’t know what they mean about me rescuing the prosecution team,” he said. “If you read the transcript, you will know exactly what happened. All I asked was whether she (Vidal) complied with the subpoena. She was the one who admitted that she had brought the SALNs with her.”

Things would get “bloody” as the trial would proceed, Esguerra said. He also added that seeking for Drilon’s inhibition may irritate the other senators and may prove “counterproductive”.  

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