Feb 28 Senate Impeachment Court Record

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Republic of the Philippines
Senate
Pasay City
Record of the Senate

Sitting As An Impeachment Court
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
AT 2:13 P.M., THE PRESIDING OFFICER, SENATE PRESIDENT JUAN PONCE ENRILE, CALLED THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE RENATO C. CORONA TO ORDER. The Presiding Officer. The continuation of the Impeachment Trial of the Hon. Chief Justice Renato C. Corona of the Supreme Court is hereby called to order. We shall be led in prayer by Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano. Senator Cayetano (A). Proverbs 3:21-26 My child, dont lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear. You will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Diyos naming Ama, hinihingi Po namin sa Inyo ngayon and Inyong patnubay, ang Inyong pagmamahal sa amin. Hinihingi Po namin na sa lahat ng aming gagawin ay umiral Po ang hustisya at ang common sense. Mahirap pala Hong humusga, mahirap pala Hong maging huwes, lalo na kapagka ang hinuhusgahan ay ang pinakamataas na huwes sa aming bansa, lalo na Po kapagka iyong balanse ng mga institusyon at ng gobyerno ang tinitingnan. Lord, we ask You to give us immense wisdom, Lord. Lord, na huwag mawala sa amin iyong sampung milyong Pilipinong nasa ibang bansa, iyong mga humihingi Po ng solusyon sa problema ng mataas na presyo, sa kawalan ng trabaho, sa peace and order,
sa kalusugan. Alam Po namin na habang ginagawa namin ito at importante Po ang accountability at transparency sa gobyerno, ay maraming mga problema na nasa buhay ng bawat Pilipino. Bless each and every lawyer who is here, every Senator-Judge, every advocate, Lord, and let the truth prevail. We lift this up to You and ask for this Lord, in Jesus mighty Name, Lord, Father God, and Lord God Holy Spirit. Amen. The Presiding Officer. Amen. The Secretary will please call the roll. The Secretary, reading: Senator Edgardo J. Angara ............................................................... Present Senator Joker P. Arroyo ................................................................... Present* Senator Alan Peter Companero S. Cayetano ................................. Present Senator Pia S. Cayetano ................................................................... Present* Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago .................................................... Absent** Senator Franklin M. Drilon ................................................................ Present Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ....................................................... Present Senator Francis G. Escudero ............................................................. Present Senator Teofisto L. Guingona III ....................................................... Present Senator Gregorio B. Honasan II ........................................................ Present Senator Panfilo M. Lacson ................................................................ Present Senator Manuel Lito M. Lapid ....................................................... Present Senator Loren Legarda ...................................................................... Present Senator Ferdinand Bongbong R. Marcos Jr. .................................. Present Senator Sergio R. Osmea III ........................................................... Absent Senator Francis N. Pangilinan ............................................................ Present Senator Aquilino Koko L. Pimentel III ........................................... Present* Senator Ralph G. Recto .................................................................... Absent Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. ........................................................ Present Senator Vicente C. Sotto III ............................................................. Present Senator Antonio Sonny F. Trillanes IV ........................................... Present* Senator Manny Villar ......................................................................... Present* The President ..................................................................................... Present The Presiding Officer. With 15 Senator-Judges present, the Presiding Officer declares the presence of a quorum. The Floor Leader. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, may I ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to make the proclamation. The Presiding Officer. The Sergeant-at-Arms is so directed to make the pronouncement.
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*Arrived after the roll call **On sick leave
The Sergeant-at-Arms. All persons are commanded to keep silent under pain of penalty while the Senate is sitting in trial on the Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato C. Corona. The Presiding Officer. The Floor Leader is recognized. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, I move that we dispense with the reading of the February 27, 2012 Journal of the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court and consider the same as approved. The Presiding Officer. Is there any objection? [Silence] The Chair hears none, the February 27, 2012 Journal of the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court is hereby approved. The Secretary will please call the case. The Secretary. Case No. 002-2011, In The Matter of Impeachment Trial of Hon. Chief Justice Renato C. Corona. The Presiding Officer. Appearances. The Floor Leader. Senator Sotto. Yes. Representative Farias. Good afternoon, Mr. President, Your Honors. For the Prosecution, same appearances, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Noted. The Defense. Mr. Bodegon. Good afternoon, Mr. President, and members of the Impeachment Court, same appearance for the Defense. The Presiding Officer. Noted. The Floor Leader. Senator Sotto. Yes, Mr. President. For our business for the day, we are in the continuation of the cross-examination by the Defense of Mr. Edmund Llosala, cameraman of ABS-CBN. Mr. Bodegon. If Your Honor please, may I address the Court. The Presiding Officer. The gentleman from the Defense. Mr. Bodegon. Yes, Your Honor. As you would see, hardly is the table for the Defense filled. Most of our lawyers are stuck in traffic and I understand that our Chief Defense Counsel is on his way. And so, if it is permissible, may we request for a second call. If not, Your Honor please, we will move for continuance. The Presiding Officer. Yes. How long do you think will it take him to reach the Court? Mr. Bodegon. Maybe an hour, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Within an hour. What is the pleasure of the Prosecution? Representative Colmenares. We have no objection as to the request for second call, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Let us wait for one hournot more than one hour, and we will resume once the Chief Defense Counsel is in the Courtroom. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, before the Presiding Officer bangs the gavel, may I ask for a oneminute suspension of the trial.
The Presiding Officer. Is there any objection? [Silence] There being none, the trial is suspended for one minute. The trial was suspended at 2:18 p.m. At 2:25 p.m., the trial was resumed. The Presiding Officer. The trial is resumed. Senator Sotto. Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. The Majority Leader. Senator Sotto. Yes. We have conferred with both the Prosecution and the Defense, and with the concurrence of both, we may suspend the cross-examination of the present witness we have, who is the cameraman of ABS-CBN, Mr. Edmond Llosala, so that the Prosecution may be able to continue presenting another witness. If they both concur with this proposal, we may continue without having to wait for an hour or so, or maybe one day, depending on how long it will take the lead Counsel of the Defense to arrive. We may recall the other witness later on. The Presiding Officer. What is the pleasure of the Prosecution? Representative Colmenares. We are amenable to that proposal, Your Honor please. The Presiding Officer. In other words, the cross-examination of the cameraman of ABS-CBN be suspended pending the arrival of the Chief Defense Counsel. In the meantime, the Prosecution will continue to present their witnesses, and when the Chief Defense Counsel will arrive, we will recall the witness to the witness stand Representative Colmenares. We agree, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Mr. Edmond Llosala Representative Colmenares. So as to save time, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. for cross-examination. Senator Sotto. May we hear from the Defense, Mr. President? Mr. Bodegon. We have no objection, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. The cross-examination of the witness on the witness stand is suspended until the arrival of the Chief Defense Counsel. In the meantime, the Prosecution may proceed to present their next witness. Representative Colmenares. Your Honor, our next witness will be presented by Atty. Claro Mamaril, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Bring her to the courtroom and swear her to testify. Mr. Mamaril. Mr. President, Members of this Honorable Impeachment Court, good afternoon. The Presiding Officer. Good afternoon. Mr. Mamaril. Our next witness for the Prosecution, Your Honor, is Ms. Elenita Gatbonton.
The Presiding Officer. Well, bring her to the courtroom, swear her, and the Prosecution may proceed to present her. [Long Pause] Mr. Mamaril. Mr. President, they are fetching her from the holding room. The Presiding Officer. Yes, we will wait for her. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor. The Clerk of Court. Madam Witness, please stand up and raise your right hand to swear. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in this impeachment proceedings? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Your Honor. The Clerk of Court. So help you God. The Presiding Officer. All right, the Prosecution may proceed. Mr. Mamaril. Good afternoon, Ms. Elenita Gatbonton. Ms. Gatbonton. Good afternoon po. Mr. Mamaril. Will you please state your name again for the records, and your other personal circumstances? Ms. Gatbonton. I am Elenita G. Gatbonton. I am the Presidential Staff Officer VI of the Malacaang Records Office. Mr. Bodegon. May I make a manifestation, Your Honor? The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Bodegon. We have examined the list of witnesses submitted by the Prosecution. This witness is not among them. The Presiding Officer. Prosecution? Mr. Mamaril. We will explain that in due time, Your Honor. I mean, right away. The Presiding Officer. Will you kindly explain so to avoid surprises. Mr. Mamaril. I was going to ask the Witness, Your Honor, why she is here this afternoon. Can I ask her now so that she will be able to explain? Mr. Bodegon. If Your Honor, please, this witness is not appearing on the strength of a subpoena issued by this Court and she is not also listed in the list of witnesses. The Presiding Officer. Well, let us be liberal. As far as I am concerned, I will allow this Witness to testify. Anyway, the Defense are very able lawyers who can crack her stories because there is a reason to do it by cross-examination. Proceed. Mr. Bodegon. We submit, Your Honor. Mr. Mamaril. In fact, we may do so, Your Honor. I think we have made a reservation regarding compliance. The Presiding Officer. Yes, the Prosecution has control in the manner of presenting its case.
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Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor.
The Presiding Officer. In fact, we should not be using too much the subpoena powers of this Court. You can bring your witnesses if they are voluntarily willing to appear. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you very much, Your Honor. Ms. Gatbonton, why are you in the Impeachment Court this afternoon? Ms. Gatbonton. I am here to represent Director Marianito M. Dimandag, the Director of Malacaang Records Office who is currently in Cebu City for a lecture. Mr. Mamaril. He was the one originally subpoenaed by the Court, is it not? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, in compliance with the subpoena. Mr. Mamaril. For brevity, Your Honor, we will, if Your Honor, please, we would like to identify all the.... The Presiding Officer. Yes? Mr. Mamaril. The purpose why we are presenting this Witness, Your Honor, is to authenticate the service record of the Chief Justice while he was a member of the staff of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The Presiding Officer. So, this Witness is being presented simply to authenticate documents? Mr. Mamaril. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Bodegon. If Your Honor, please, may I make a manifestation. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Bodegon. If the witness is going to authenticate the service record of the Respondent while he was not yet a Chief Justice or even a Justice of the Supreme Court, then these documents are immaterial, impertinent and irrelevant to this proceedings. The Presiding Officer. So, what is the materiality and relevancy of these records with respect to the impeachment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Counsel? Mr. Mamaril. These records are being introduced, Your Honor, to prove that.... The Presiding Officer. That he committed venalities before he became the Chief Justice, became a Justice of the Supreme Court? Mr. Mamaril. Well, one of the complaints, Your Honor, under Article VII is that the Respondent has betrayed the public trust through his partiality in granting a Temporary Restraining Order. Just the partiality, we would like to.... The Presiding Officer. In other words, you want to show the closeness of the Chief Justice with the occupant of Malacaang at that time? Mr. Mamaril. Yes, Your Honor, because he would not be in the position that he is now if he was not appointed by the former president, Your Honor.
The Presiding Officer. You may proceed. Mr. Mamaril. We actually have five documents, Your Honor, and for brevity, I would like to ask if it is possible for us to just identify all the documents The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Mamaril. which have already been postmarked. The documents that we are going to present, Your Honor, are nonuple W (WWWWWWWWW). The Presiding Officer. They are all premarked? Mr. Mamaril. They are all premarked, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Then proceed to identify them in the sequences that they were marked by you. All right, proceed. Mr. Mamaril. Exhibit nonuple W (WWWWWWWWW); Exhibit nonuple X(XXXXXXXXX). The Presiding Officer. What is that document? Mr. Mamaril. Exhibit nonuple W (WWWWWWWWW) is the complete service records of the Chief Justice, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Present it to the Witness. Show it to her. Find out if she knows anything about it and if she can vouch that that is a part of the record of Malacaang. Mr. Mamaril. Ms. Gatbonton, I am showing you a document marked as Exhibit nonuple X (XXXXXXXXX) from the Office of the President of the Philippines. Are you familiar with this document? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Sir. Mr. Mamaril. And what is this document about? Ms. Gatbonton. It is a certified copy of the service record of Chief Justice Corona when he was connected in OP. The Presiding Officer. It is the service record of one Renato C. Corona who worked in Malacaang. Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Is that it? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mr. Mamaril. Next is Exhibit nonuple X (XXXXXXXXX) dated January 22, 2001, which is the appointment of one Renato C. Corona as Presidential Adviser, Your Honor. Can I show it to the Witness? The Presiding Officer. Go ahead. He was appointed as what? Mr. Mamaril. As Presidential Adviser with the rank of Secretary, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. Adviser on what?
Mr. Mamaril. Presidential Adviser with the rank of Secretary. That is what is written here. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mark it. Mr. Mamarial. Ms. Gatbonton, have you seen this document before? The Presiding Officer. When was that appointment made? Mr. Mamaril. It was made on January 22, 2001, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. When was Justice Corona appointed to the Supreme Court? Mr. Mamaril. There are other documents, Your Honor. I am coming to them. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Mamaril. Have you seen this document before, Ms. Gatbonton? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Sir. Mr. Mamaril. And what is this document about? Ms. Gatbonton. It is a certified copy of the appointment paper of Hon. Renato C. Corona as Presidential Adviser. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you. Next exhibit, Your Honor, is Exhibit nonuple Y (YYYYYYYYY) dated April 9, 2002. It is the appointment of one Renato C. Corona as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The Presiding Officer. It was also a record of Malacaang? Mr. Mamaril. Yes, Your Honor, from Malacaang. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mr. Mamaril. Ms. Gatbonton, I am showing you a document. Are you familiar with this document? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Sir. Mr. Mamaril. And what is this document about? Ms. Gatbonton. It is a certified copy of the appointment paper of Hon. Renato C. Corona as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Presiding Officer. What is the date of that appointment? Mr. Mamaril. The date is April 9, 2002. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mr. Mamaril. Our last two documents, Your Honor, are Exhibit nonuple Z (ZZZZZZZZZ). It is a transmittal letter of the appointment to the Judiciary of Renato C. Corona as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The Presiding Officer. What date?
Mr. Mamaril. Dated May 17, 2010. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mr. Mamaril. And since they are supposed to be joint, Your Honor, the second page is marked as Exhibit nonuple Z-1 (ZZZZZZZZZ-1) which is dated May 17, 2010 and is the actual appointment as Chief Justice of the Supreme of the Philippines of Renato C. Corona. The Presiding Officer. Present it to the Witness and ask her the latter position. Mr. Mamaril. And the last Exhibit Z-1 was signed by Gloria M. Arroyo. The Presiding Officer. This Court can take judicial notice of that fact. Mr. Mamaril. Ms. Gatbonton, I am showing you a document dated May 17, 2010, denominated as appointment to the Judiciary. Are you familiar with this document? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Sir. Mr. Mamaril. And what is that document? Ms. Gatbonton. It is the certified copy of the transmittal letter of the appointment paper of Hon. Renato C. Corona as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. Mamaril. And this document premarked as Exhibit nonuple Z-1 (ZZZZZZZZZ-1) dated May 17, 2010, are you familiar with this document? Ms. Gatbonton. Yes, Sir. Mr. Mamaril. What is that document about? Ms. Gatbonton. It is the certified copy of the appointment paper of Hon. Renato C. Corona as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Ms. Gatbonton. The Presiding Officer. What is that last document? Mr. Mamaril. The last document, Your Honor, is Exhibit nonuple Z-1 (ZZZZZZZZZ-1) which is the actual appointment. The Presiding Officer. The actual appointment. Thank you. Mr. Mamaril. The actual appointment signed by the former President. Ms. Gatbonton, I have presented to you several premarked documents, Exhibit nonuple W (WWWWWWWWW) to nonuple Z-1. Do you have the originals of the documents that I have just asked you to identify? Ms. Gatbonton. I have the official copy, the official file of the Malacaang Records Office. The Presiding Officer. I do not think the Defense will object to those documents. It is a matter of record that is why the Chief Justice, Renato C. Corona, is before this Court because he is the incumbent Chief Justice. So, those are self-explaining documents. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. Do you have any objection about the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? Mr. Bodegon. No objection, Your Honor. Mr. Mamaril. And you are, of course, accepting that these are copies of documents which you were also furnished. Mr. Bodegon. Is the Counsel cross-examining me? That is your evidence. The Presiding Officer. Counsel. Mr. Mamaril. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Those are not spurious documents. Those are copies of official records of appointments of an incumbent member of the Supreme Court, from being a Justice to being a Chief Justice. I do not think there is any dispute about that. Mr. Mamaril. Well, I was just going to make sure that the Defense is not placing any objection. The Presiding Officer. In fact, this Court can take judicial notice of that matter. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor. I think that is all for the Witness, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You are discharging the Witness? Mr. Mamaril. Yes, Your Honor. Unless the Defense.... The Presiding Officer. Cross? Mr. Bodegon. Your Honor, I just got a text-advice from Justice Cuevas and he prefers that we reserve the cross-examination of the Witness until he arrives. The Presiding Officer. Cross-examination reserved until the Defense Chief Counsel is in the courtroom. Please remain with us. In the meantime, the Witness is discharged. Mr. Bodegon. Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Next witness. Mr. Mamaril. Your Honor, we have one more witness other than the cameraman, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. One more? Mr. Mamaril. One more witness, but I do not know the proposal of the Defense. The Presiding Officer. For today? For today? Mr. Mamaril. For today, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. For today or for.... Mr. Mamaril. For today, Your Honor. The Witness is here, Danilo Piedad, Your Honor. Mr. Bodegon. We will just reserve our cross-examination, Your Honor. They can proceed with the presentation of their evidence.
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The Presiding Officer. You can proceed. The presentation of the witnesses of the Prosecution is under the control of this Court. You may now proceed to bring your next witness. Mr. Mamaril. Thank you, Your Honor. Atty. Al Parreo is going to present the next witness, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Atty. Al Parreo. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. Good afternoon, Your Honor, and to the Defense. The Presiding Officer. Okay, Compaero, proceed. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. May we call our next witness, Mr. Danilo Danny Piedad of ABS-CBN. The Presiding Officer. Who is that? [Laughter] Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, that was the Witness yesterday, Mr. Edmond Llosala, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. What happened? Mr. Parreo. He is not supposed to....He is for cross, Your Honor, which we will do later. So, we are going to present Danny Piedad first, Your Honor. Senator Sotto. There was a miscue, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Now, we have the right witness? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. The Clerk of Court. Mr. Witness, please stand up. Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in this impeachment proceeding? Mr. Piedad. Yes, I do. The Clerk of Court. So, help you God. Mr. Parreo. May we proceed, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed, please. Mr. Parreo. For the record, Mr. Witness, can you please state your name and other personal circumstances. Mr. Piedad. I am Danilo Piedad, cameraman of ABS-CBN. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, to the Defense, we are offering the testimony of the Witness, Danilo Piedad, to prove the following material allegations found in the Complaint including the following: He will identify and authenticate the video recording he took on November 15, 2011. The Presiding Officer. What is that?
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Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, the video recording he took. The Presiding Officer. The video report? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. On November? Mr. Parreo. November 15, 2011. The Presiding Officer. On November 15?
Mr. Parreo. 2011, Your Honor. And he will also prove that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband attempted to escape by virtue of the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Supreme Court on November 15, 2011. The Presiding Officer. You are making a conclusion. Mr. Bodegon. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You describe the act, not a conclusion. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. We will prove that she attempted to leave the country on November 15, 2011. The Presiding Officer. Okay. Mr. Parreo. May we proceed, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Parreo. Mr. Witness, saan po kayo nagta-trabaho? Mr. Piedad. Sa ABS-CBN Corporation po. Mr. Parreo. Bilang ano po? Mr. Piedad. Cameraman. Mr. Parreo. Kailan po kayo naging cameraman ng ABS-CBN? Mr. Piedad. Eleven (11) years na since 2001. Mr. Parreo. Ano po ang trabaho ng isang cameraman? Mr. Piedad. To shoot sa news gathering. Sa news gathering, kami po ang nagsu-shoot sa field. Mr. Parreo. Bilang isang cameraman po, saan kayo naka-assign? Mr. Piedad. Ito pong mga nakaraang taon, general assignment ang assignment namin. The Presiding Officer. Para madali ano. Kayo po ba ay cameraman ng ABS-CBN? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. At noong Nobyembre 15, 2011 ay nandoon kayo sa airport? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. At ikaw ay nanduon bilang cameraman? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Dala mo ang iyong camera? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Okay, proceed. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. At noong sa airport pa po kayo, ano ang nangyari? Mr. Bodegon. Objection, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. May nangyari ba? Mr. Parreo. Marami, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Teka muna, sandali lamang, para matapos na. Wala nang maraming.... Mr. Parreo. Sige, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Bakit ka nandoon at dala-dala mo iyong camera mo, eh, tagaABS-CBN ka? Mr. Piedad. Ang una pong assignment namin that day, November 15, is sa mga suspension ng bus franchise. So, nag-cover kami from MMDA ng morning then nagpunta kami ng DOTC. The Presiding Officer. Bakit ka nandoon sa.... Mr. Piedad. Eto na nga po, Your Honor I-interbyuhin po namin sana si Chairman Tolentino. Wala po siya sa MMDA. So, aalis daw po siya noong day na iyun, sa airport na raw po namin siya i-meet. The Presiding Officer. Ah, nagpunta ka roon. Mr. Piedad. Nung afternoon po doon na kami nag-abang dahil ang flight ni Chairman Tolentino, nari-recall ko, is afternoon din po. The Presiding Officer. Sino si Tolentino? Mr. Piedad. Chairman po ng MMDA. The Presiding Officer. O, sige. Mr. Piedad. So, doon na po namin siya in-ambush ng interview. And then after noon, bigla na lamang pong sinabi ng reporter ko na mag-stand by daw kami roon dahil aalis si GMA. May posibilidad na umalis daw so standby lamang daw po kami. The Presiding Officer. Sino ang nagsabi sa iyo? Mr. Piedad. Si Zen Hernandez po, iyong reporter ko. The Presiding Officer. O sige. Your witness. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor, for that.
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So, ano ang sinabi sa iyo ulit ni Zen Hernandez? Mr. Piedad. Stand by lamang daw po kami roon dahil.... Mr. Parreo. Mga anong oras po ito? Mr. Piedad. Mga four oclock.
Mr. Parreo. At nung nag-stand by po kayo, ano ang sunod pong nangyari? Mr. Piedad. Wala na. The Presiding Officer. Teka muna, four oclock ng umaga? Mr. Piedad. p.m. po, hapon. The Presiding Officer. Four oclock ng hapon. Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Okay. Mr. Parreo. Nung habang nandoon kayo sa airport, ano po ang inyong ginagawa? Mr. Piedad. So, nag-o-observe lamang sa paligid habang nagpi-feed kami ng materials na na-cover na namin noong unang istorya namin habang naghihintay lamang po ng sitwasyon. The Presiding Officer. Dumating ba si dating Presidente Arroyo doon nung oras na iyon o pagkatapos nung oras na iyon? Mr. Piedad. Ang natatandaan ko po medyo madilim na, gabi na nang dumating. The Presiding Officer. Dumating ba? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Anong oras nung dumating? Mr. Piedad. Hindi ko po natatandaan iyong oras. The Presiding Officer. O, sige. Your witness. Mr. Parreo. Kahit mga estimate lamang po, mga anong panahon nung gabi na iyon na sinabi mo? Mr. Bodegon. He cannot remember, already answered, Your Honor. Mr. Piedad. Hindi ko po sigurado kung anong.... Mr. Parreo. Madilim na ba iyon? Mr. Piedad. Madilim na po iyon. The Presiding Officer. Madilim na madilim na ang gabi. Mr. Piedad. Opo, madilim na po iyon. Mr. Parreo. Puwede po ba kayong magbigay ng estimate kung anong oras po noong gabing iyon?
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Mr. Bodegon. He already answered, Your Honor. He cannot remember. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, we are just asking for an estimate. The Presiding Officer. Let him answer, kung alam niya. Alas siyete, alas otso? Mr. Piedad. Mga eight to nine. The Presiding Officer. Eight oclock ng gabi? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Sigurado ka? More or less. Mr. Piedad. More or less, eight to nine po. The Presiding Officer. Between eight and nine? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Sige. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. At noong dumating po si GMA, ano po ang inyong ginawa? Mr. Piedad. Natural po sinyut (shoot) na namin. Mr. Parreo. Paano niyo po siya sinyut (shoot)? Mr. Piedad. Ni-record ko na po iyong camera ko, sinyut (shoot) ko na siya. Mr. Parreo. Ano po iyong mga.... The Presiding Officer. Teka muna. Kinunan din ninyo ng video si Ms. Arroyo nang dumating doon sa airport between eight oclock and nine oclock in the evening of November 15, 2011? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right, okay. Mr. Parreo. Puwede mo bang i-kuwento kung paano dumating si GMA noong between eight to nine? Mr. Bodegon. Objection, Your Honor, that calls for a narration. The Presiding Officer. It is all right, let the Witness answer. Do not be jumpy, preliminary questions. Mr. Piedad. Habang naka-stand by po kami doon sa airport, sa lobby ng departure, so, nago-observe kami kung may darating na convoy, basta maraming sasakyan na mga VIP or any na puwedeng sakyan ng isang VIP. So, nag-o-observe lamang kami doon hanggang sa may napansin po kami na papalapit na po na convoy with ambulance. So, in-expect ko na po na doon na nakasakay kasi ambulance po iyon. Nung nakarating na po sa lobby iyong ambulance, nakita ko po St. Lukes iyong van, kinunan ko na po. Hindi na po ako nag-off record, tuloy-tuloy na po iyong recording ng camera ko hanggang sa makababa si dating ano....
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The Presiding Officer. Kinunan mo ng video? Mr. Piedad. Iyong convoy po.
The Presiding Officer. Iyong convoy at ang nanduon, ang sakay ng convoy, si Ms. Arroyo? Mr. Piedad. That time, Your Honor, hindi po ako sigurado kung siya po iyon. The Presiding Officer. Kaya nga, pero lumabas si Mrs. Arroyo doon sa convoy? Mr. Piedad. Sa ambulance po, noong huminto na po. The Presiding Officer. Sa ambulance? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. At kinunan mo siya? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Okay. Ano pa? Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. Nabanggit mo na nakunan mo si Gloria Macapagal Arroyo na bumaba sa ambulance, nasaan iyong nakunan mong video? Mr. Piedad. Pi-need (feed) na po namin iyon sa ENG van. So, from my camera, sa CF card, pi-need (feed) na namin sa van na naka-stand by doon. Bale, pi-need (feed) na po sa opisina, sa base. The Presiding Officer. Kinunan mo ng video si Ms. Arroyo? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Kinunan mo ng video si dating Presidente Macapagal Arroyo? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Noong bumaba sa ambulansya doon sa airport? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Anong airport? Mr. Piedad. Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 1 po. The Presiding Officer. At kinunan mo, gaano mo katagal kinunan? Mr. Piedad. Hindi ko na po maalala kung ilang minuto iyon. The Presiding Officer. Nasa iyo iyung video? Mr. Piedad. Nasa library na po, nasa News Library na po. The Presiding Officer. Isinabmit mo sa ABS-CBN? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. O, sige.
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Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. Bago ako pumunta sa video, nabanggit mo kanina, nakita mo si GMA, sino ang mga kasama niya na lumabas sa ambulansya? Mr. Piedad. Hindi ko na matandaan. Mr. Parreo. Marami ho bang mga taong pumupunta doon? Mr. Piedad. Maraming tao, crowded iyong area. Maraming media, maraming tao. Mr. Parreo. Bakit kilala mo si Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Mr. Piedad. Presidente po siya natin dati. Nag-cover na rin po kami sa kanya dati. Na-interview na rin po namin siya. Mr. Parreo. Salamat po. Nabanggit mo kanina na iyong video na inyong kinunan, sinabpoena po namin ang inyong kumpanya at kung ipapakita ko ho ba iyong video na ito na inyong nabanggit, makikila nyo po ba siya? Mr. Piedad. Siguro po, opo. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, may we present the video that was identified by the Witness, which was previously marked as Exhibit octuple W (WWWWWWWW). Mr. Bodegon. The Witness has not yet identified. The question was precisely whether he could identify it. Now, Counsel is saying he already identified. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, we are going to ask him to identify it after he has seen it, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You bring the video tape first and show it to the Witness. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Okay, proceed. Mr. Parreo. Can we ask the Secretariat to please play the video? (Video Tape Presentation) Mr. Bodegon. If Your Honor please, manifestation, the Counsel should first show to the Witness the video card which we understand contains this video clip. He should not immediately show the content of that video clip. The Presiding Officer. Dapat ipinakita mo iyong video tape muna, kung tape iyon o anuman. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. But to expedite the process, we are going to remove the.... The Presiding Officer. Anyway, I allow it just for expeditiousness. We cannot deny that these things happened anyway. Come on. Mr. Bodegon. We submit, Your Honor. (Video Tape Presentation) The Presiding Officer. All of these are public knowledge. It was shown over and over again on television. So, proceed. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, can we just ask a stipulation from the opposing Counsel, to stipulate to the authenticity of the video tape?
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The Presiding Officer. If they want, if they agree, you may. Mr. Bodegon. What is the matter to be stipulated on?
Mr. Pareo. That the video that he mentioned that he took is the same video that we are presenting right now. Mr. Bodegon. We have not even been shown the.... The Presiding Officer. You show it to the.... Mr. Parreo. Then, please look at the video. Mr. Bodegon. Yes. We have to be first shown the card that contains this video recording. Mr. Parreo. We can do that, Your Honor. After we play this, we can remove the CD and we can then ask the Witness or another witness to identify the compact disk. The Presiding Officer. I think nobody can deny that these things happened. It happened in front of all the televisions of the entire nation and in the world. So, go ahead. I will allow it to be presented. Mr. Parreno. Thank you, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. And let us see whether it is material to this proceeding. (Video Tape Presentation) The Presiding Officer. ...Mahaba ba ito mahaba? Is this long? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, it is only for five (5) minutes, I think. The Presiding Officer. Go ahead, go ahead, finish it. You know you cannot deny that these things happened. The one appearing there as Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not a ghost. She traveled all the way from St. Lukes all the way to the airport. So, these are facts, national facts known to the consciousness of the entire nation. Mr. Bodegon. That is true, Your Honor, but the presentation of these facts must follow the rules. The Presiding Officer. Correct, I agree. Well, what rule is being violated, by the way, Counsel? Mr. Bodegon. The rule on authentication, Your Honor, because we have not even been shown the card from which.... The Presiding Officer. Then, let us wait until they finish the presentation. Mr. Bodegon. Yes, Your Honor. (Continuation of Video Tape Presentation) The Presiding Officer.Okay? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Parreo. Mr. Witness, ano po ang relasyon ng video na ito sa nakita nating video ngayon?
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The Presiding Officer. Alam moako na ang magtatanong para madali. Mr. Parreo. Sige, Your Honor. [Laughter] The Presiding Officer. Nakita mo iyong video? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Iyon bang video na iyon sino ang kumuha? Mr. Piedad. Ako po, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Ikaw? Mr. Piedad. Opo. The Presiding Officer. Iyon ba ay kailan mo kinuha? Mr. Piedad. Noong November 15 po iyon 2011. The Presiding Officer. Saan? Mr. Piedad. Sa airport po, sa NAIA 1 po. The Presiding Officer. Ito iyong sinabi mo na kinuha mo sa oras na pagitan ng alas-otso ng gabi at alas-nuwebe ng gabi? Mr. Piedad. Opo, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Tungkol kanino? Mr. Piedad. Kay CGMA po. The Presiding Officer. O sige, hayun tapos. Mr. Parreo. May mga nakita rin po kami ibang tao duon sa video, kilala ninyo po ba sila? Mr. Bodegon. That is vague, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. O sige pabayaan mo na. Kilala mo ba iyong mga nandoon na mga tao? Mr. Piedad. Hindi po, Your Honor. Mr. Parreo. Iyong mga kasama ni GMA. Mr. Piedad. Hindi po. Mr. Parreo. Hindi na ninyo kilala po? The Presiding Officer. You see, Counsel, I am not criticizing you but you are overburdening your Witness with details of which he is incompetent. He is just a cameraman. He does not know who is there, he is just taking pictures of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. But, anyway, go ahead. Mr. Parreo. We will proceed, Your Honor.
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Noong sinabi mo na nakunan mo itong video na ito at sinabi mo iyong recordingano ang ginawa mo doon sa video na iyong na-record? Mr. Piedad. Alin po? Mr. Parreo. Iyong nabanggit mo kanina na kinunan mo itong video na ito at may recording kang nakuha, anong ginawa mo doon sa recording na iyon? Mr. Piedad. Noong nakapasok na si CGMA sa loob ng airport, so nagpahinga lamang kami saglit, then ni-require na po kami nai-turnover na iyong CF sa ENG van para ma-feed na iyong materials, iyong raw materials, para magamit na po ng office. Mr. Parreo. Ano po itong CF card? Mr. Piedad. Ito po iyong bagong bala ng camera na compact flash ho. Mr. Parreo. Ano po ang ginawa ninyo duon sa CF card na nasabi ninyo? Mr. Piedad. Pi-need na po sa ABS-CBN. Mr. Parreo. Kanino po siya napunta sa ABS-CBN, kung alam ninyo lang po? Sino po ang pinagbigyan ninyo po sa ABS-CBN? Mr. Piedad. Hindi ko alam kung sino. The Presiding Officer. What is the purpose of your question? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, the Counsel earlier on was questioning the authenticity of the evidence that we just presented. The Presiding Officer. Are you disputing the authenticity of this, Counsel for the Defense, documentary? Are you disputing it? Mr. Bodegon. The recording itself, Your Honor, they have to authenticate it. But as to the event that happened is public knowledge. But what we want is, they comply with the procedure. The Presiding Officer. All right. Go ahead if you want to be technical about it. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, for purposes of authentication, we will have to go through two things: Pursuant to the electronic evidence rule, we need to show the video which the cameraman has already identified as his own. But after that, since it was a CF card that he actually established as the basis of the recording, we will then have to present the custodian of the actual CF card and then present the person who actually gave the compact disc to this Honorable Court. So, to save on that process, may we just ask the other party to stipulate if this compact disc that was actually given by ABS-CBN is actually the.... The Presiding Officer. Actually, I cannot speak for the Defense. But may I address this question: Are you denying the fact that this happened, that it was recorded in this video and that it depicts an event? It does not say anything yet about.... The only thing it says is that an event happened on the night of November 15 between the hours of 8:00 and 9:00 in the evening and it is represented here and that it involves the presence of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. So, for what purpose, we do not know why she was there. That is all. Do you deny that?
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Mr. Cuevas. Good afternoon, Your Honor. May I extend my apologies to the entire Court, Your Honor. I am sorry I was marooned on the way. I wanted to fly but I could not, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. We understand. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you, Your Honor. Now, I understand my dear Compaero is asking for a stipulation relative to the diskette? Mr. Parreo. As authenticity of the compact disc that was submitted. Mr. Cuevas. I am sorry, Your Honor. We have not seen this diskette. We do not know what the contents thereof, are although.... The Presiding Officer. We just viewed it. Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. But we do not even know whether what we viewed comes from the diskette, Your Honor. Mr. Parreo. Actually, Your Honor, may I make a manifestation. The Presiding Officer. Can you show the diskette to them? Mr. Parreo. Actually, Your Honor... May I make a manifestation? The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Parreo. On February 14, Your Honor, during the pre-marking of exhibits, this compact disc was actually shown to the other Counsel, Your Honor. I have the transcript right here. The Presiding Officer. O, iyon pala, eh. Mr. Cuevas. Yes. But was there any stipulation relative to what it is? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. But.... Mr. Cuevas. It was shown and it was marked. That is all what the proceedings will show. We may be going too far which is beyond what you are asking us to do. Mr. Parreo. In that case, Your Honor, if they will argue on the authenticity of the compact disc, we will be forced to present the head librarian of ABS-CBN to actually explain how the CF card became a compact disc. Mr. Cuevas. Not that we are disputing what you are trying to claim now. But what we are telling the Honorable Court is that we are not in a position to enter into any stipulation relative to the authenticity of that diskette. Is that beyond our capability being the Defense of Chief Justice Corona or you would like us to just admit and admit whatever you want us to admit? I am sorry, Your Honor. I should have addressed it to the Court. I wanted to.... As what the Court will notice before, when we are in a position to admit, they are merely asking for a stipulation, we already admit, Your Honor, just to cut short the proceedings, Your Honor. We are sorry that we have gone this far in our attempt to, at least, make the proceedings entirely conformable to what is known as due process, Your Honor. We never had waived any of our rights. The Presiding Officer. Counsel.
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Mr. Parreo. If they will not stipulate as to the authenticity of the compact disc, Your Honor, we will then present the head librarian of ABS-CBN. The Presiding Officer. Do you have the head librarian here? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor, we have The Presiding Officer. All right. Then bring her. Mr. Parreo. We have no more questions, Your Honor, to the cameraman. The Presiding Officer. Do you have any cross on this Witness or are you going to postpone the cross until you start with the cross of the Mr. Cuevas. I wanted to start, Your Honor, just to show our cooperation to the Honorable Court. But definitely, we are not in a position to conduct an intelligible cross-examination. We were not privy to the direct examination. May we humbly request, Your Honor The Presiding Officer. Well, they only ask whether he took this video. That is all. All that the Witness said, I took this video, on this day, between these two, these hours, and it involves the former President and that he knew the former President. Mr. Cuevas. We will still, with due apologies, Your Honor, and with the indulgence of this Honorable Court, we will still plead that we be allowed to go over the direct examination of the Witness. The Presiding Officer. All right. So, do you want to postpone your cross on this Witness? Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor, even by tomorrow if there will be no more atrocious traffic. The Presiding Officer. All right. What is the pleasure of the Prosecution? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, may we ask our lead Prosecutor for Article VII to express his concern? The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Colmenares. Actually, Your Honor, pumayag kami sa proposal ng Depensa kanina na hintayin ang Defense Counsel. Tapos later on na i-direct na lang muna ang Witness at subject to cross pagdating, kasi po gusto naman po naming bilisan. Ayaw na po naming humaba pa ang mga testimony po. Simple lang po talaga ang testimony ng cameraman po eh. Ako ang kumuha niyan. Actually, public knowledge na halos sa airport po eh. Kaya nagulat kami na pati yoong authenticity i-ano pa, magpresenta pa kami ng additional witness. So, para sa amin po, kung maaari lang po, siguro mag-recess ng five minutes, tingnan po ng Defense Counsel iyung transcript, maigsi lang naman po iyung direct po ng aming Counsel. The Presiding Officer. Anyway Representative Colmenares. If you can cross na ngayon po para hindi na ma-postpone. The Presiding Officer. Para hindi na magtatagal pa, I will suspend the cross-examination. Proceed with your next witness. Representative Colmenares. Thank you, Your Honor.
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The next part is the continuation of the cross. The Presiding Officer. I understand that the Witness is ordered to stay. Doon, bumaba ka sa witness stand at huwag kang aalis Representative Colmenares. Opo. Yung continuation na po ng cross na ni-request ng Defense Counsel po kahapon ang naka-pending po ngayon. The Presiding Officer. Ipasok na ninyo yung librarian ninyo para matapos itong isyung ito. Representative Colmenares. Ah, yung librarian po. Sige po. The Presiding Officer. Oo, para hindi putul-putol itong presentasyon ng ebidensiya. Representative Colmenares. Opo. Sige. The Presiding Officer. Call the libarian. Mr. Parreo. May we ask Ms. Rochele Inuncillo Mendez to please come to the witness stand? Mr. Cuevas. If that lady is not available yet, Your Honor, may I be permitted to continue with my cross-examination of the previous witness who had taken the... The Presiding Officer. It is better, Counsel, for us to finish this while it is fresh in the memory of everyone and finish the presentation of this video tape before the Court will allow you to crossexamine the first cameraman of ABS-CBN. Mr. Cuevas. Okay. Then, thank you very much, Your Honor. The Clerk of Court. Madam Witness, please remain standing. Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in this impeachment proceeding? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Clerk of Court. So, help you God. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Parreo. Madam Witness, please state your name and other personal circumstances for the record. Ms. Mendez. Ako po si Rochele Inuncillo Mendez, head ng News Library of ABS-CBN. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, we are offering the testimony of the Witness to prove the following material allegations found in the complaint: to identify and authenticate electronic evidence for the Prosecution, specifically the compact disc which was submitted to the Honorable Court, and other related matters to the Impeachment Complaint. The Presiding Officer. By the way, I will just make a preliminary question so that wala nang mga Noon bang November 15, pumasok kaNovember 15, 2011, pumasok ka sa trabaho mo sa ABS-CBN?
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Ms. Mendez. Hindi ko po sigurado pero kung weekday po, malamang nandoon po ako sa ABS-CBN. The Presiding Officer. November 15 ha. Ngayon, nasa ABS-CBN ka na noong November 15, 2011empleyado ka na? Ms. Mendez. Pwede pong i-check kung anong araw The Presiding Officer. Empleyado ka na? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
The Presiding Officer. Ikaw ang librarian noong araw na iyon? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
The Presiding Officer. Ngayon, ano ang trabaho mo bilang librarian? Ms. Mendez. Ako po yung in-charge to oversee the News Library operations. Kami po yung The Presiding Officer. Ano ang operation ng library ng ABS-CBN? Ms. Mendez. Kami po yung nagre-release at re-receive ng mga CF card.
The Presiding Officer. Nagre-receive at nagre-release? Ms. Mendez. Ng CF cards and tapes sa The Presiding Officer. Ano yung CF cards? Ms. Mendez. CF cards, ito po yung media na ginagamit ng cameraman pagka magkocover po. The Presiding Officer. Kung kumukuha sila ng mga video clips? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
The Presiding Officer. Sige. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. Nabanggit mo kanina na nagre-receive kayo ng mga CF cards. Paano niyo po siya nire-receive? Ms. Mendez. Upon return to base, yung cameraman po or yung driver nya, dadalhin sa News Library yung CF card and then kami po, ila-log namin. Lalagyan namin ng material number and then ite-turn over po namin o ipo-forward sa Media Management Room para po ma-ingest or ma-transfer po sa server yung laman. Mr. Parreo. Mabalik lang ako sandali, bilang Head Librarian, ano yung ginagawa mo? Ano yung mga functions nyo po? Ms. Mendez. Ako po yung in-charge to oversee nga po the operations, ine-ensure po na mayroong enough CF cards and tapes ang mga cameraman. Kami rin po yung nagla-log at naglalagay ng mga short shot list doon sa mga video coverage. Mr. Parreo. At sino sanabanggit mo kanina na kayo rin ang nagre-receive nito, pagka na-receive niyo na to, sino lang ang pwedeng humawak sa mga video clips or sa CF cards na inyong nabanggit?
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Ms. Mendez. Ang News Library personnel lamang po. Mr. Parreo. At sino pokanino po nagre-report yung News Library personnel po na iyun? Ms. Mendez. Sa head po ng Media Assets Management Department. The Presiding Officer. Kayo ang custodian noong mga video clips? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
The Presiding Officer. Nasa library ninyo yan? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
The Presiding Officer. Sige. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. At pag may kailangan po nasinabi mo rin kanina na kayo ang nagre-release ng mga video cards ba ang tawag doon? Ms. Mendez. CF cards po.
Mr. Parreo. CF cards. Pag may humihingi po ng kopya ng CF cards na ito, ano po ang inyong ginagawa? Ms. Mendez. Kapag may humihingi po ng kopya, usually po nanghihingi po kami ng request and then based dun sa request po, kung ano po yung nakalagay doon, hinahanap po namin sa logs or sa catalogs namin kung meron kaming ganoong video po. Mr. Parreo. Tapos kung may nakita po kayo ng ganoong videos, ano po ang inyong ginagawa? Ms. Mendez. Kailangan pa po itong i-approve po ng kung sino po yung nag-cover o usually po head po ng News Gathering kung pwede naming i-provide pag may nag-request. And then pag in-approve po, ise-select po namin yung video na kailangan then ipapadala namin sa dubbing section para po ma-burn sa CD. Mr. Parreo. Sa CD po. Napansin po namin kanina sa video na mayroong nakalagay o naka-inscribe sa taas, paki-describe po yungkung natatandaan nyo po yung The Presiding Officer. Property of ABS-CBN. Mr. Parreo. Yes, thank you, Your Honor. Yung Property of ABS-CBN. Ano po iyon. Ms. Mendez. Standard po iyon sa mga lahat ng nagre-request po ng video sa ABS-CBN. Mr. Parreo. tama po ba? Ms. Mendez. Mr. Parreo. Ms. Mendez. Nabanggit niyo po kanina na ang binibigay niyo po ay compact disc, Opo. Kayo po ay na-subpoena ng Hukumang ito, natanggap niyo po ba ito? Opo.
Mr. Parreo. At ayon po sa subpoena, kayo po ay naatasang mag-submit po sa amin ng pitong compact discs. Dala niyo po ba itong mga compact discs na ito po?
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Ms. Mendez. Yung mga compact discs po ay sinabmit (submit) po namin sa Senate Secretary. Mr. Parreo. Pag pinakita ko ba itong mga compact discs na ito ay makikilala nyo po ba ito? Ms. Mendez. Opo.
Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, may we The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Approach the witness. Mr. Parreo. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong compact disccover ng compact disc which is previously marked as Exhibit Octuple T-1 (TTTTTTTT-1). Puwede pong paki-describe kung ano po itong label na nasa ibabaw ng compact disc. Ms. Mendez. Ni-labelan po namin ng Video 1 para ma-identify po iyongito po iyong number nung nakalagay sa subpoena. So bale ina-identify po nito iyongabout the press briefing. Mr. Parreo. Puwede ninyo po bang buksan ang compact disc po niyancompact disc case po na iyan at sa loob po, for the record, may nakikita po tayong compact disc na mayroong nakalagay na Exhibit Octuplepreviously marked as Exhibit Octuple T (TTTTTTTT) with a date February 14, 2012, which I am showing to the Defense right now and below that are the words Midas Marquez, Press Briefing November 15, 2011. Ano po ang relasyon nitong CD na ito sa sinabpoena (subpoena) po ng Korte? Ms. Mendez. Nandito po iyong hinihingi po doon sa subpoena na may mga enumerate po silang mga detalye na nandito po sa CD na ito. Mr. Parreo. Ito po ba iyong video showing the press briefing of Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez of November 15, 2011 na pinakita po sa atin ni Edmond Llosala? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Parreo. Thank you. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong case ng compact disc entitled, Video 2, ABS-CBN, previously marked as Exhibit Octuple U-1 (UUUUUUUU-1) with a date of February 14, 2012. Ano po tong label po na ito sa ibabaw ng compact disc case? Ms. Mendez. Video 2 po, ibig sabihin ito po iyong number 2 item po sa subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Ito po ba iyong video showing Atty. Ferdinand Topacio statement on the preparation of payment of cash bond on November 15, 2011 na dinescribe (describe) po ni Mr. Edmond LLosala? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Parreo. Sa loob po ng compact disc case po na itomaaari ninyo po bang buksan ay mayroon po isang compact disc previously marked as Exhibit Octuple U (UUUUUUUU), with a date February 14, 2012. Nasa ilalim po nito mayroong nakalagay na pangalang Atty. Ferdinand
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Topacio, November 15, 2011, tapos may nakalagay na number 2, ano po ang relasyon nito sa compact disc na binanggit ninyo po kanina? Ms. Mendez. Nandito po iyong video na naglalaman ng statement ni Attorney Topacio. Mr. Parreo. Puwede pong i-clarify, nakalagay po dito kasi DVD. Ano ho ba ang difference ng DVD at saka yung compact disc na binabanggit mo kanina? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po ako masyado sa technical para po ma-explain kung ano ang difference po ng CD at DVD, pero lahat po kasi ng format na nire-release ng ABS ay DVD. Mr. Parreo. So ito yungyung lahat ng binabanggit mo kanina na compact disc, ito ay eitherito rin po ay DVD. Tama po ba? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Parreo. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong compact disc with the words Video 3, ABSCBN, previously marked as Exhibit Octuple V-1 (VVVVVVVV-1), February 14, 2012. Ano po ang relasyon nito sa video showing the representative of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo about the process of payment of cash bond at the Supreme Court na dinescribe (describe) ni Edmond Llosala kahapon po? Ms. Mendez. Nandito po sa CD na ito yung video na dinescribe (describe) nga din po sa Item 3. Mr. Parreo. Puwede pong pakibuksan po itong case po na ito. The Presiding Officer. Ano yung Item 3? Item 3 ng Ms. Mendez. Iyon po iyong video na pinapakita yung according po doon sa subpoena na about the process of payment of the bond. The Presiding Officer. Item 3 ng subpoena? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. Sa loob po nito ay may compact disc na previously marked as ExhibitDVD previously marked as Exhibit Octuple V-1 (VVVVVVVV-1) with the date February 14, 2012 and below that are the words Posting/Payment of Cash Bond at the Supreme Court November 15, 2011. Ano po ang relasyon nito sa sinabpoena (subpoena) po sa inyong DVD na nabanggit ninyo kanina? Ms. Mendez. Ang CD po na ito ang naglalaman noon pong video na nasa Item 3 ng subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Salamat po. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong compact disc case. Sa labas po nito may nakasulat na Exhibit Octuple W-1 (WWWWWWWW-1,) February 14, 2012. Video 4, ABS-CBN. Anong relasyon po nito sa sinubpoena sa inyo na video showing the arrival of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the airport on November 15, 2011 na ipinakita po ni Danny Piedad kanina? Ms. Mendez. Itong CD po na ito ang naglalaman ng video na pinakita po kanina. Mr. Parreo. Sa loob po nito ay merong DVD. Ano po itong DVD na ito previously marked as Exhibit Octuple W (WWWWWWWW) Video 4, February 14, 2012. Below that are the words GMA to NAIA, November 15, 2011.
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Ms. Mendez. Nilalaman po nito iyong video na sinasabing attempted travel ni GMA. Mr. Parreo. Thank you. Ms. Mendez. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong DVD case The Presiding Officer. Ano iyong sinabi ng witness? Attempted Ms. Mendez. Attempted travel. The Presiding Officer. Ah, attempted travel. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong DVD case na merong salitang Video 5, ABS-CBN, Exhibit Octuple X-1 ( XXXXXXXX-1) February 14, 2012. Ano po itong nakamarka po na ito sa labas? Ms. Mendez. Video 5 po na naga-identify po ito doon sa Item 5 na nabanggit po sa subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Sa loob po nito ay merong isang DVD case. Maaari ko bang buksan? Sa DVD na po ito ay merong Exhibit Octuple X ( XXXXXXXX), February 14, 2012. At nakalagay po sa ilalim, Arrest of GMA by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Judge Jesus Mupas. Ano po ang relasyon nito sa na-subpoena sa inyo, Item No. 5, video of the press briefing of Acting Director Bocayo, Chief Supt. Joel Coronel on the release of warrant of arrest and the arrest of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Ms. Mendez. Iyong CD po na ito ang naglalaman ng press briefing on the arrest of CGMA. Mr. Parreo. Thank you. Dalawa na lang po. The Presiding Officer. Who conducted the press briefing? Who made the press briefing? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, according to the subpoena, it is Acting Director Senior Supt. James Bocayo, NCRPO-CIDG chief and then Senior Supt. Joel Coronel. The Presiding Officer. All right. Mr. Parreo. May pinapakita po ako sa inyong CD case at nakalagay po sa labas ay may label na Video 6, ABS-CBN with marking Exhibit Octuple Y-1 ( YYYYYYYY-1), February 14, 2012. Ano po ang relasyon nito sa aming hininging video showing Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16, 2011 in Headstart? Ms. Mendez. Ang CD po na ito ang naglalaman ng Item 6 doon po sa subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Puwede hong mabuksan ang CD? Sa loob po nito ay merong isang compact disc at sa compact disc na itoah, DVD? Yeah, Exhibit The Presiding Officer. subpoena? Ano ba iyongnakalimutan ko naano ba iyong Item 6 sa
Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, this is the video showing Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16, 2011 in Headstart, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Go ahead. Mr. Parreo. Ano ang relasyon ng DVD na ito sa nabanggit ko po?
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Ms. Mendez. Ang DVD po na ito ang naglalaman ng statement ni Spokesperson Midas Marquez. Mr. Parreo. Salamat po. Panghuli po, meron po ditong DVD case with the label Video 7, ABS-CBN previously marked as Exhibit Octuple Z-1 (ZZZZZZZZ-1). Ano po ang relasyon nito sa sinubpoena ng Court na ito na video showing the press briefing of Midas Marquez on November 21, 2011. Ms. Mendez. Itong DVD po na ito ang naglalaman ng Item 7 na nakalagay po sa subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Sa loob po nito ay may isang DVD at sa DVD po na ito ay merong marking na Exhibit Octuple Z (ZZZZZZZZZZ) February 14, 2012 with the words Statement of Midas Marquez regarding the TRO issued to GMA on November 20, 2011. Ano po itong DVD na ito? Ms. Mendez. Ang DVD po na ito ay naglalaman ng press briefing po ni Spokesperson Marquez. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, one last question. Sa pagprepara po ba ng DVD na ito ay mayroon kayong nakasama na taga-Prosecution or Defense? Ms. Mendez. Wala po. Mr. Parreo. No further questions, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Okay, cross. Mr. Cuevas. With the kind permission of the Honorable Court, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You want to suspend your cross here? Mr. Cuevas. With the Courts permission, we will proceed with our cross-examination now, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. With this lady? Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. Because we heard her direct-examination. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you, Your Honor. Magandang hapon po, Madam Witness. Mayroong pong pitong (7) video dito na in-identify kayo, tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. At bawat isa sa kanila mayroong label. Halimbawa yung Video A showing press briefing of Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 15, 2011, tama ho ba yun? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Kayo ho ba ang naglagay nitong showing press briefing of Supreme Court or yung inyong photographer?
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Ms. Mendez. Hindi po ako.
Mr. Cuevas. Wala kayong kinalaman diyan sa pagkakalagay ng label na yan? Ms. Mendez. Yung nakasulat po sa DVD mismo, hindi po ako yung nagsulat. Mr. Cuevas. Ganun din ho ba ang sagot ninyo dun sa mga sumusunod na mga video, halimbawa, Video 2 showing Atty. Ferdinand Topacios statement on the preparation of payment of cash bond on November 15, 2011? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Ganun din po, wala kayong kinalaman doon? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po ako ang nagsulat. Mr. Cuevas. At ganun din ang inyong sagot doon sa mga sumusunod na video, wala kayong kinalaman, wala kayong participation sa nakalagay doong statement, tama ho ba yun? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Sino ang naglagay po nito, kung alam ninyo o hindi rin ninyo alam? Ms. Mendez. Yung dubbing personnel po namin ang nag-label po ng mga DVDs. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi kayo kaharap nang nilalagay yan? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Nasa inyong opisina kayo? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. At iyon namang sinasabi ninyong yung tao ninyo na gumawa ng labeling na ito ay hiwalay ang opisina sa inyong lugar, tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid po, kung sinasabi ritong video showing press briefing of Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 15, 2011, hindi ninyo maaari na patibayan na ito nga ay totoong briefing ni Attorney Marquez, tama ho ba? Mr. Parreo. Objection, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. What is the objection? Mr. Parreo. The Defense Counsel, Your Honor, is asking for a conclusion of law to the witness. The Presiding Officer. Tinatanong lang niya. Mr. Cuevas. Yung factual lang. I am sorry, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Go ahead, go ahead. What is your answer Defense Counsel? Ms. Mendez. Napanood ko po yung laman The Presiding Officer. No, no. Yung si Defense Counsel muna dahil.
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Mr. Cuevas. I was asking her, Your Honor, for a factfor a factual basis, Your Honor. Because there were statements here made that it was a press briefing of Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 15, 2011. The Presiding Officer. Witness may answer. Ms. Mendez. Pagka-burn po nito sa DVD, pinanunood ko po yung kopya at ikinumpara ko po dun sa source po na video. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi kayo kaharap nang magkaroon ng press briefing na yan? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Pati yung nakalagay na petsa rito, hindi ninyo alam at hindi rin ninyo mapatutunayan sa Husgado na totoo iyon, tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi po. Ang ibig ninyong sabihin hindi, wala kayong kinalaman doon sa press briefing na yun? Ms. Mendez. Wala po. Mr. Cuevas. All right. Now, doon po sa sinasabing Video No. 2 showing Atty. Ferdinand Topacios statement on the preparation of payment of cash bond on November 15, 2011, hindi rin po kayo kasangkot diyan sa video na yan? Ms. Mendez. Hindi rin po. Mr. Cuevas. Ang nalalaman lamang ninyo may inintrega sa inyongDVD ba yun? Ms. Mendez. CF card. Mr. Cuevas. Disc for your safekeeping as librarian of ABS, tama ho ba yun? Tama po? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Tama, all right. The Presiding Officer. Sandali lang. Ano ang kaibahan nung CF card at saka yung DVD? Ms. Mendez. Yung CF card po, compact flash, maliit lang po siya na memory card na ginagamit po sa camera po. The Presiding Officer. Iba yun sa compact disc na yan? Ms. Mendez. Iba po. Yung DVD po, ito po yung ginagamit namin media pag po magpoprovide kami ng copy ng videos. The Presiding Officer. O, sige. Mr. Cuevas. Alinsunod sa inyo, kung tama akoang pagkaunawa ko, ni-review ninyo itong anongDVD ba ang tawag po dito? Ms. Mendez. DVD po.
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Mr. Cuevas. DVD, opo. Ni-review ninyo? Ms. Mendez. (nodded)
Mr. Cuevas. All right. Now, ito pong sinasabi ditong showing Ferdinand Marcos statement [Laughter] Ferdinand Topacios statement, ito po may nakita kayong tao, ganun ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Mayroon po. Mr. Cuevas. May nakita kayong tao, tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Pero hindi ninyo mapapatunayan sa Husgado na siya nga si Ferdinand Topacio o kilala ninyo siya? Ms. Mendez. Napapanood ko na po siya sa mga news. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi ho iyon ang tanong ko sa inyo. Hindi sa napapanood ninyo siya kundi kilala ba ninyo siya? Hindi ninyo kilala? Ms. Mendez. Kaya ko pong i-identify. Mr. Cuevas. Ang ibig ninyo sabihin kilala ninyo siya? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Ano iyong sinasabi rito na statement on the preparation of payment of cash bond, nasaksihan ba ninyo iyon? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Wala kayong kamalay-malay sa kung ano iyong transaction na nakita ninyo si Ferdinand Topacio na nasa video na iyan? The Presiding Officer. Sagutin mo lang iyong... Mr. Cuevas. Sagutin po ninyo. The Presiding Officer. Sagutin mo. Ms. Mendez. Wala po akong alam. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi rin ninyo alam kung ano iyong sinasabing pagbabayad or pagdedeposito na ginawa niya, tama ho ba ako? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. May sinasabi ditong cash bond allegedly made or paid on November 15, 2011. Saan ninyo kinuha itong statement na ito kung hindi ninyo alam ang mga pangyayari? Ms. Mendez. Mayroon pong ID ang bawat video po mayroon po siyang shot list. Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid, ang inyong deklarasyon tungkol dito sa nilalaman ng video na ito batay lamang sa inyong nabasa? Wala kayong kinalaman sa katotohanan o kung iyan nga ay naganap o hindi?
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Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, at this point, may I just make a quick objection. The Presiding Officer. Yes, please. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, the Defense Counsel made a statement about wala daw siyang kinalaman dito sa mga bagay na ito, Your Honor. We already presented the cameraman to actually authenticate the events as it transpired. This Witness is just being presented to present the actual compact disc. The Presiding Officer. Anyway.... Mr. Cuevas. I am cross-examining her, Your Honor, not on the basis of the statement of any witness. The Presiding Officer. Wait a minute, Counsel. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Your Witness is under cross. Let the cross-examiner ask the questions. I know what you are after and there is a rule on this. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. Allegedly based on this second video, payment of cash bond was allegedly made on November 15, 2011. I suppose you also have no personal knowledge about this. Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. And this information came from your cameraman? Ms. Mendez. Hindi ko po sigurado kung sa kanila po nanggaling. Mr. Cuevas. Eh, saan po nanggaling itong information ninyo relative to the alleged payment of cash bond on November 15, 2011? Ms. Mendez. Mayroon pong shot list iyong bawat video po; mayroon po kaming isang group po ng writers na naglalagay ng description. Mr. Cuevas. Pero ang aking pagkaka-unawa wala kayong kinalaman o hindi kayo kasangkot doon sa sinasabing pagbabayad ng cash bond na iyon, more especially on November 15, 2011. Tama ho ba ako? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Tama po. Correct. Now, iyon pong Video No. 3, showing the representative of former President Gloria Arroyo about to process the payment of cash bond. Ito ho bay saan nanggaling? Sa inyo? Nakita ho ba ninyo ito, ang pangyayaring ito? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid ulat lamang sa inyo ito?
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Ms. Mendez. Tama po.
Mr. Cuevas. Hindi ninyo maaaring patunayan sa Husgado o tindigan sa Husgado na katotohanan ang nakalagay dito. Tama po? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Sino po itong sinasabi ritong Representative of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Hindi rin po ninyo alam? Ms. Mendez. Hindi ko po alam iyong pangalan, nilagay lamang po namin representative dahil siya Mr. Cuevas. Saan nanggaling iyon? Hindi iyon ang tunay na pangyayari na siya ay representative ni former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Tama po ba? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Iyon pong sinasabi dito na about to process the payment of cash bond at the Supreme Court, alam ba ninyo kung saan naganap ito? Hindi rin? Ms. Mendez. Hindi rin po. Mr. Cuevas. All right. So, itong sinasabi dito hindi ninyo mapapatunayang totoo sapagkat hindi ninyo nasaksihan, tama po ba ako? Ms. Mendez. Wala po ako doon sa lugar na iyon. Mr. Cuevas. Tama po, correct. Thank you po. Now, iyon pong sinasabi dito sa Video D, showing the arrival of former President Gloria Arroyo at the airport on November 15, 2011. Batay po sa inyong salaysay ngayon, ibig kong maniwala na ang inyong isasagot ay katulad din noong sagot ninyo sa mga unang tanong ko na wala kayong kinalaman dito, hindi ninyo nasaksihan ito at hindi ninyo mapapatunayan ang katotohanan nito, tama po ba ako? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. All right. Ito pong Video E, iyong Press Briefing of SPD Acting Director o Supt. James Bocayo, and NCRPO-CIDG Chief Supt. Joel Coronel, kilala ho ba ninyo iyong si Dir. Senior Supt. James Boucayo? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Paano nangyari na napalagay po ito dito sa video na iyan? Nilagay po ng inyong reporter, iyong inyong photographer, ganoon po ba? Ms. Mendez. Mayroon po kaming writer na naglalagay po ng description. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi kayo kaharap noong ginawa iyan? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi ninyo siya tinanong, Sino ba iyang James Bocayo na iyan? Hindi rin po? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po.
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Mr. Cuevas. May sinasabi rin po dito, iyong NCRPO-CIDG Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel, on the release of the warrant of arrest and arrest of former President Macapagal Arroyo. Ang tanong ko sa inyo, alam ba ninyo itong tinutukoy na mga pangyayari rito? Ms. Mendez. Wala po akong personal knowledge doon po sa nangyari. Mr. Cuevas. Inulat lamang sa inyo nung allegedly mga tauhan ninyo doon sa opisina ninyo? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid, kung ito po ay totoo o hindi, hindi ninyo maaaring tindigan sa Husgado ngayon? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Tama, all right. Now, ito pong arrest of former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, ito raw po ay isang pangyayari of national importance. Iyon ho ba ang pinagbatayan ninyo kaya napalagay ito dito? O wala din kayong kinalaman din dito? Ms. Mendez. Wala po. Mr. Cuevas. Ang katotohanan, nalaman lamang ninyo na naaresto si Kagalang-galang na President Arroyo dahil iyon ang nakalagay sa papers at ibinabalita sa radyo, tama ho ba iyon? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Pero kung papaano siya naaresto, kung kailan at kung saan, ay hindi ninyo matitindigan sa harap ng kagalang-galang na Hukumang ito. Tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Tama po. Mr. Cuevas. Eh ito pong sinasabi ritong video showingparagraph F, Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16 Headstart, hindi rin po ninyo nasaksihan ito? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Ito pong nakalagay ditong statement, wala kayong kinalaman po rito. Ang naglagay po nito ay iyon lamang empleyado ninyo? Ms. Mendez. Iyong statement po ako ang naglagay. Mr. Cuevas. Ito po? Itong video showing Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16, 2011, tama ho ba iyon? Ms. Mendez. Opo. Mr. Cuevas. Kayo ang naglagay nito? Liwanagin ninyo. Ms. Mendez. Saan ninyo pohindi po iyan iyong nilagay ko po. Puwede pong paki-ulit? Mr. Cuevas. Mayroon pong nakalagay dito sa Video F, ano po, video showing Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16 in Headstart ANC, kayo ho ba ang naglagay nito? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, may we ask the Defense Counsel to please show the video that he is asking the Witness to identify?
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Mr. Cuevas. You made her identify all these things subpoena and I am just reading from the subpoena. Mr. Parreo. Exactly.... The Presiding Officer. The Witness may answer, if she knows. Ms. Mendez. Your Honor, iyong nabasa ninyo po, iyon po iyong nakalagay sa subpoena. Iyon po iyong nanggaling sa amin na description. Mr. Cuevas. Wala kayong kinalaman diyan, ibig sabihin, wala kayong participation, hindi kayo ang naglagay niyan, at hindi ninyo alam kung paano napalagay iyan diyan? Tama ho ba? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Ano pong hindi, hindi ninyo alam? Ms. Mendez. Hindi ko po alam. Mr. Cuevas. Ayun. Now, samakatuwid po, itong tinutukoy ditong showing Spokesman Midas Marquez on November 16, 2011, alam ba ninyo kung ano iyong conference na iyon na tinutukoy dito? Baka sakali alam ninyo, pakisabi nga ninyo sa Kagalang-galang na Hukuman? Ms. Mendez. November 16.... Mr. Cuevas. Iyon po ang nakalagay dito binabasa ko lang.... Ms. Mendez. Sa Headstart? Mr. Cuevas. Opo. Wala kayong kinalaman diyan? Ms. Mendez. Wala po. Mr. Cuevas. All right. Eh iyon pong isa iyong video showing the press briefing of Midas Marquez on November 21, 2011, hindi rin ninyo alam ito?... Ms. Mendez. Wala rin po ako doon personally. Mr. Cuevas. Yung press briefing na iyon naganap na. Hindi naman ninyo nasaksihan in person? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Ni hindi ninyo nadinig si Attorney Marquez making the press briefing. Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. Yung lugar na pinaganapan ng press briefing, hindi rin ninyo alam? Ms. Mendez. Hindi po. Mr. Cuevas. So, summarizing your statement now, I am inclined to believe that you came here only to identify the various compact discs that were presented by the Prosecution. Tama ba iyon? Mr. Parreo. Objection, Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. What is the basis of the objection?
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The Presiding Officer. What is the pleasure of ...? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, he is misleading the Witness to merely identify, Your Honor, when she is actually here to both authenticate and identify the DVD. The Presiding Officer. Actually, if I remember correctly, the Prosecution stated into the Record that this Witness is being presented to identify and authenticate certain Mr. Parreo. Exactly, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. electronic discs. Mr. Parreo. DVD. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. I think, six (6) or seven (7) of them. Mr. Parreo. Seven(7), Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. Seven (7), Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. And that is actually what she did. Is it not? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Sir. The Presiding Officer. So, she may answer. Go ahead. Ms. Mendez. Puwede pong pakiulit yong tanong? Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid po, ang pagkakaunawa ko sa kabuuan ng inyong deklarasyon ngayong hapon sa Kagalang-galang na Hukuman, parang humarap kayo dito para lang i-identify yong mgaAno ba ang tawag doon? The Presiding Officer. Identify at i-authenticate yong mga Mr. Cuevas. Compact discs. The Presiding Officer. pitong (7) compact discs na iprinisinta ng Prosecution sa iyo. Ms. Mendez. Tama po. The Presiding Officer. O, ayon. Mr. Cuevas. I am now inclined to believe that these statements appearing on top of these discs that you identified were merely hearsay insofar as you are concerned, because you do not know them personally. Am I right? Mr. Parreo. Objection, Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. What is the basis? The Presiding Officer. What is the objection? Mr. Parreo. The Defense Counsel is asking for a conclusion of law. Hearsay, Your Honor, is a statement of law which the Witness might not even be familiar with. Mr. Cuevas. There were various preliminary....I am sorry, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. No, no, go ahead.
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Mr. Cuevas. There were previous preliminary questions that this Representation made, Your Honor. And there was a clear admission on the part of this Witness that she has nothing to do, she does not know anything about this. So, this is merely in summation of the totality of her statement, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You want the Chair to rule? Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. The Witness was presented here as the librarian of the ABSCBN, whose function was and is to be the custodian of these materials that were, Mr. Parreo. Seven (7), Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. seven (7) electronic discs Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. that were presented here, and which she identified and authenticated. She was the one who received the CF cards for each of these video clips or compact discs, and she was also the one who released them for purposes of this proceeding. Is that correct, Madam Witness? Ms. Mendez. That is correct. The Presiding Officer. Okay. Now, she is, therefore, competent to testify about the existence of these materials which are in her custody. To the extent that the compact discs exist, and that the originals of which are in her custody, and that the ones presented to the Court are faithful reproduction or replication of those original CF cards under her custody as a librarian of ABS-CBN, she is a competent witness to testify on that fact. As to the contents of this compact disc, the real evidence would be the compact discs themselves. So, let the compact disc become a part of the testimony of the Witness and whatever are the impressions depicted in each of the compact disc, the real evidence will be those individual compact disc themselves. So ordered. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. May we make a short manifestation, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. If the Court will notice, Your Honor, we never dispute, much less do we controvert, that the seven (7) discs identified by the Witness were in her possession by reason of her function as alleged Chief Librarian of ABS-CBN. What we are contradicting, Your Honor, is the fact that the labeling made do not appear to be made by her personally. She cannot even explain who made these labelings. Only that particular aspect, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. You are correct, that to that extent, she herself admitted. That is an admission that she is ignorant of those labelings and so those are in the record. Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. So, the admission of a witness against the one presenting is an evidence adverse to the presenting party, is it not? Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. So, to the extent of the content of the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness, accuracy or inaccuracy of the contents of the disc presented to her, you are correct that those are hearsay to her. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. So, therefore, the real evidence will be the diskette themselves and those are apparent to any viewer of the diskette. So ordered. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Parreo. Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. Were you in any way privy to the subject matter of this disc? The Presiding Officer. May I beg your indulgence. Let us suspend the trial for one minute. Mr. Cuevas. One long minute, Your Honor? The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you, Your Honor. The trial was suspended at 3:57 p.m. At 4:01 p.m., the trial was resumed. The Presiding Officer. Counsel for the Defense may continue with the cross-examination. Mr. Cuevas. We are through with the Witness, Your Honor. Thank you very much, Madam Witness. The Presidng Officer. You are through with the Witness? Mr. Cuevas. With my cross-examination, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. The Counsel is through with the cross-examination of this Witness. Mr. Cuevas. That is correct, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Redirect examination? Mr. Parreo. No redirect examination, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. No redirect examination, the Witness is discharged. Thank you. Mr. Cuevas. Thank you. The Presiding Officer. Next witness who is going to be subject of cross-examination. The ABS-CBN....
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Mr. Parreo. May we call, Your Honor, Edmond Llosala. Senator Sotto. In the order of appearance.
The Presiding Officer. I think the Defense has not finished the cross-examination of Llosala. Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. So, we will continue with Llosala and then we go to the next cameraman of ABS-CBN. Is Mr. Llosala here? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Will you bring him in for cross-examination? Mr. Parreo. He is on his way, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Ah, nandito na pala si Mr. Llosala kaya kanina hindi ko siya nakilala. Mr. Cuevas. Poging-pogi ngayon ho. Mr. Llosala. Thank you po. The Presiding Officer. Under the same oath. Mr. Cuevas. Yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. With the Courts kind permission, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. I recall that when you took the witness stand last time, noong una po kayong tumestigo, ang binanggit ninyo doon sa video ninyo ay pangyayaring naganap noong November 15, 2010. Mr. Llosala. Yes po, tama. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, may I just make a minor objection as to the date since it will go into the Record. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Parreo. The Counsel mentioned November 2010. The Presiding Officer. Yes, 2010. That is what the Defense Counsel said. It is 2011, hindi ba? Mr. Cuevas. Yes. I am sorry, Your Honor. I stand corrected then. Thank you for this....[Laughing] The Presiding Officer. Correct. Go ahead. Mr. Cuevas. May we continue now, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Please go ahead.
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Mr. Cuevas. At iyon pong press conference na iyon na inyong kinunan ng video ay pagkatapos ng session en banc ng Kagalang-galang o Kataas-taasang Hukuman, tama ho ba iyon o hindi ninyo alam iyon? Mr. Llosala. Pakiulit po iyong tanong, Sir. Mr. Cuevas. At iyong pangyayari na kinunan ninyo ng video noong November 15, 2011 ay pagkatapos lamang ng session en banc ng Kagalang-galang o Kataas-taasang Hukuman. Alam ho ba ninyo iyon? Mr. Llosala. Hindi po, Sir. Mr. Cuevas. Papaano ba ninyo nakunan ng video ito, sa sarili ninyong kagustuhan o may nag-utos sa inyo, utos ng inyong nakatataas? Mr. Llosala. Iniutos lamang po iyon, Sir, ng aking reporter na may presscon po kaya kami tumakbo at nag-transfer po sa Supreme Court building. Mr. Cuevas. Sino po iyong.... The Presiding Officer. Saan kayo nanggaling? Mr. Llosala. Sa DOJ po. The Presiding Officer. Aba, malayo iyong Korte Suprema....Ah, magkalapit lamang ano. Mr. Llosala. Halos magkalapit lamang, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Sige. Mr. Cuevas. Sino po iyong nagsabi sa inyo na mayroong magaganap na press conference? Mr. Llosala. Ang reporter ko po na si Ms. Ina Reformina. Mr. Cuevas. The way I understood it, she was your immediate superior. Siya po ang superior ninyo. Mr. Llosala. Yes, Sir. Mr. Cuevas. Now, is there any particular importance of any event that you feel you are supposed to cover on that particular day? Mayroon po bang mahalagang pangyayari na dapat ninyong macover na naganap noong araw na iyon, November 15, 2011? Mr. Llosala. Dito po sa duty ko sa Department of Justice at saka sa Supreme Court, everyday po kaming nandiyan at kung ano po iyong nagiging issue o mga rally sa labas, kino-cover po namin iyon. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi ninyo sinasagot ang aking tanong sa inyo. Ang tanong ko sa inyo ay ganito: Mayroon ho bang hindi pangkaraniwang pangyayari na naganap noong November 15 na kinailangang i-cover ninyo ng inyong video o wala? Mr. Llosala. Wala naman po. Mr. Cuevas. Wala. So, hindi ninyo alam kung ano ang iko-cover na iyon? Mr. Llosala. Hindi pa po.
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Mr. Cuevas. All right. Kahit na iyong si Attorney Midas ng Supreme Court, hindi ninyo alam na siya ay magkukumperensiya o alam ninyo antimano? Mr. Llosala. Hindi pa po. Mr. Cuevas. conference siya? Hindi rin. Hindi rin ninyo alam kung ano ang dahilan at magpi-press
Mr. Llosala. Hindi pa rin po. Mr. Cuevas. Noong matapos ninyong makunan ng video iyong press conference na iyan, nalaman ba ninyo kung ano ang dahilan bakit siya nag-press conference? Mr. Llosala. Nalaman ko na lamang po na TRO po iyon, pero hindi po ako nag-focus doon. Mr. Cuevas. Anong ibig ninyong sabihin? Mr. Llosala. Nag-focus na lamang po ako sa video and audio phone na kailangan naming mai-feed sa.... Mr. Cuevas. Anong ibig ninyong ibig sabihin na nalaman ninyo TRO iyon? Ano po ang ibig ninyong ipahiwatig o ipaalam sa Kagalang-galang na Hukuman? Mr. Llosala. Dahil po once na nag-set up po kami ng camera, tsini-check po namin ang audio. So doon po sa pag-monitor namin ng audio na habang nagsasalita si Atty. Midas Marquez, doon ko po narinig na may binanggit siyang TRO. Mr. Cuevas. Samakatuwid iyon pong TRO na binabanggit ninyo, nalaman ninyo lamang samantalang nagsasalita na o nagpi-press conference na si Midas Marquez? Mr. Llosala. Yes, po. Yes, po. Mr. Cuevas. Kung ano ang nilalaman ng TRO na iyan at kung ano ang pinagbabawal diyan o ano ang saklaw niyan, hindi po ninyo alam? Mr. Llosala. Hindi na po. Mr. Cuevas. Hindi ninyo rin alam kung papaano lumabas iyang TRO na iyan? Mr. Llosala. Yes, po. Mr. Cuevas. At ang nalaman lamang ninyo basta may TRO na inilabas. Mr. Llosala. Iyon lamang po. Mr. Cuevas. All right. That would be all for the Witness. Salamat po ng marami. Thank you very much, Your Honor. Mr. Llosala. Thank you po, Sir. The Presiding Officer. Do you have any redirect? May redirect ba? Mr. Parreo. No redirect, Your Honor. Mr. Cuevas. Salamat po. The Presiding Officer. The cross is over, no redirect, the Witness is discharged. Salamat!
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Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, we have one more witness. The Presiding Officer. You have another witness. Mr. Parreo. We have one more witness for cross. The Presiding Officer. This is the last one. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor, Danilo Piedad. The Presiding Officer. Bring him in. Mr. Parreo. May we ask Danilo Piedad to please come to the witness stand. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Parreo. We have the witness here, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Defense Counsel, the witness is yours for cross-examination. Mr. Cuevas. Your Honor please, this is the same witness, Your Honor, where I beg the indulgence of the Honorable Court to allow me to go over the transcript of his direct examination. I was not around, Your Honor, and neither had I heard whatever he stated, Your Honor. So, in fairness to him and to the impeached public, who is the Honorable Chief Justice Corona, may I be permitted to cross-examine him tomorrow just so I can go over the transcript. The Presiding Officer. Yes, that is a fair and reasonable request. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, with all due respect to the Defense Counsel, there are other lawyers who were present during the direct examination of this Witness. Maybe they can cross-examine the Witness so he can be discharged already. The Presiding Officer. That is the privilege of the Defense Counsel. Mr. Parreo. We submit, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. He is the one in charge of his panel. He determines who will crossexamine and who will not. So, he is the one cross-examining. He was not here during the direct examination and he needs time, according to him, to go over the transcript. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, if I may, may I give the floor to our lead Prosecutor for Article VII to explain how we are going to handle our Article VII case. The Presiding Officer. Yes, go ahead. Representative Colmenares. Thank you, Your Honor. Actually, Your Honor, I described the testimony of the Witness, and if the Defense Counsel would agree, we give him time to read the transcript. It is very shortI am sure, Your Honor tapos we want to finish this case, Your Honor, as soon as possible. Ayaw na naming pahabain pa po ito. Simple lang po ang testimony ng witness. Sinabi lang niya na, Ako ang kumuha ng picture na iyon, nag-shoot ako doon at ito iyong lumabas.
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Ganoon naman po ang aming ano. Napagbigyan naman namin kanina ang Depensa nang humingi sila na i-reset, hihintayin, ituloy iyong direct. Ito naman po simple lang po ang hiningi naminituloy ang cross ngayon para matapos na po ito. The Presiding Officer. Bakit ba....Ngayon nag-aapura tayo. What is the pleasure of the Defense Counsel? Mr. Cuevas. Well, I really was not around when the Witness testified. Whatever representation my learned counsel-colleague may have in mind certainly will be a violation of our right to due process, Your Honor. Maaari ba iyong palagi na lang manifestation na ganito, ganito, inaapura and so on? Para bang all the delay comes from the Defense. There were many instances, Your Honor, when they were not in a position to proceed. We were very liberal ang magnanimous enough to accommodate all their requests. I do not deserve this kind of.... The Presiding Officer. So, you are not ready to cross. Mr. Cuevas. I am not ready, Your Honor, to conduct an intelligible cross-examination. The Presiding Officer. We cannot compel the Defense Counsel to do the cross. Representative Colmenares. We submit, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. So, what is the pleasure? You want a continuance for this Witness? Mr. Cuevas. If the Court so allows, Your Honor The Presiding Officer. Yes. Mr. Cuevas. may we be allowed to cross-examine him tomorrow afternoon. The Presiding Officer. The request of the Defense Counsel is granted. The Witness is instructed to come back tomorrow at two oclock in the afternoon at the resumption of the trial of this impeachment case to testify for cross-examination. Representative Colmenares. Your Honor, please. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Colmenares. May we ask a clarificatory question, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Colmenares. Yesterday, there was a statement from this Honorable Court that the Clerks of Court of both the Supreme Court and the Impeachment Court will discuss the request of the Prosecution na mai-subpoena man lang sana o mapapunta dito ang mga administrative officers po. Like the Clerk of Court, iyong security guard, driver. May we know kung ano po ang resulta po nuon? The Presiding Officer. I would like to request the Clerk of Court to inform the Court and the Prosecution as well as the Defense Counsel about what happened during her meeting with the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court.
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Attorney Emma. Representative Colmenares. Thank you, Your Honor. The Clerk of Court. According to Attorney Vidal, the per curiam resolution of the Supreme Court, dated February 14, 2012, provides that the same rules on confidentiality that apply to justices and judges also apply to all court officials and employees. And said restriction cannot be waived except upon approval of the Supreme Court. Thus, Attorney Vidal committed to immediately inform the Supreme Court of the matter by including the same in todays en banc agenda of the Supreme Court. While the action of the Supreme Court will, according to Attorney Vidal, be made known to her at the soonest, afternoon today or Wednesday morning yet, the official resolution on the same will still be available by next week because they will have the resolution approved by the Supreme Court which they will draft. Thus, it was suggested that perhaps she may be able to obtain a verbal authorization without awaiting a written resolution of the Supreme Court to ensure that the named Court personnel may not be cited for contempt. Attorney Vidal agreed to secure, if possible, even just a verbal authorization from the Supreme Court and advise me accordingly if the two witnesses will be allowed to appear before this Court and personally explain why they cannot testify pending the issuance by the Supreme Court of a waiver, if any would be issued. But then, this morning, I called her up again, and according to her, even a verbal authorization was denied by the Supreme Court. So, still by next week, we will be informed of the resolution of the waiver of the Supreme Court, if any. Thank you. Representative Colmenares. Maraming salamat po. The Presiding Officer. The Minority Floor Leader. Senator Cayetano (A). Mr. President, may I just make a reservation that tomorrow may I have two (2) or three (3) minutes to just make a manifestation or some thoughts on this issue. Thank you, Mr. President, tomorrow. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Colmenares. Mr. President, may we be allowed to make a short manifestation? The Presiding Officer. Please proceed. Representative Colmenares. Salamat po. Actually po, nag-announce na kanina ang spokesman ng Korte Suprema that the Supreme Court will not waive confidentiality and they are advising their administrative personnel not to appear before this Court. Nakakalungkot, na nakakatakot na ang ating Korte Suprema po ay may ganoong desisyon. Para sa amin po, napagkaitan ang Prosekusyon ng oportunidad na makakuha ng ebidensyang public records. These are administrative officers po. Ito ay mga security guard or process server. At ang mga dokumento po ay public records, walang confidentiality doon.
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Ano po ba ang itinatago ng Korte Suprema sa Hukumang ito? Ito po ang isang malaking bagay na sa amin ay malaking gulat, pero nakakalungkot din. Ngayon po, ang akin na lamang sasabihin dito. So far po, nag-prisenta na kami ng ebidensya, patunay doon sa alegasyon namin na nag-allege kami, na may kaso si Ginang Arroyo, kailangan niyang tumakas sa bansa. Nag-prisenta kami ng ebidensya ng walang life and death urgency para bigyan siya ng TRO kaagad-agad. Nag-prisenta po kami ng ebidensya na may distortion distortion doon sa sinabing kundisyon na sinabi ni Atty. Midas Marquez at iyong lumabas doon sa actual na TRO. Ang sunod po namin sanang porbahan na rito at kami ay naglabas na nang ebidensya sa mga sumusunod ay ang Who did it? Sino po ang gumawa niyan? Ngayon po, may pruweba na kami batay sa Internal Rules ng Korte Suprema para i-prisinta na ang Chief Justice lamang ang may poder na gumawa po niyan. Kaya lamang po ay kailangan pa rin namin ng dagdag na ebidensya para sabihin, para mapatunayan na Chief Justice lamang ang pwedeng mag-utos na i-extend mo iyong office hours, para Chief Justice lang ang puwedeng mag-utos, Security guard, ikaw ang mag-serve ng subpoena. Your Honors please, at ito ay pinagkait sa amin ng Korte Suprema sa ngayong araw at nakakalungkot na ang Judiciary mismo natin ang walang recognition doon sa right, sa due process rights ng complainants, Your Honor, to access to justice and to access to evidence. In that case, Your Honor,probably, this is my last manifestation before this Honorable Courtmay I ask the lead Prosecutor Niel Tupas to address the Honorable Court? The Presiding Officer. We will take note of your manifestation but the Supreme Court, as a coequal, separate, independent and coordinate branch of government, as the Congress and the Executive, have its own internal rule. I cannot see any way by which we can break this system. This is the system that is authorized under our form of government. And the only way by which we can break this, if you want to control the Supreme Court, or you want to be more superior than the Supreme Court, or you want one department to be more superior over the other departments of the government would be to amend the Constitution. And that is a function, not your function, nor my function or the function of the President of the Philippines or the Supreme Court, but the function of the sovereign people of this country. They are above us. So ordered. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, may we recognize Senator Jinggoy Estrada. The Presiding Officer. The gentleman from San Juan. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Maraming salamat, Ginoong Pangulo. Isang katanungan lang po, siguro kay Congressman Colmenares. Sa Article VII, mayroon na po kayong pitong (7) witnesses na prinisenta rito sa Hukumang ito at doon sa letter of compliance ninyo, under Article VII, nakalista ho rito ay 24 witnesses po ang inyong ipi-prisinta. Ano ho ang nangyari doon sa ibang witnesses? Representative Colmenares. Actually po, if I may. May mga ibang secondary witnesses po kami. For example po, iyong IT video CCTV ng DOJ na nagpapakitang sine-serve na gabi na, late na ang TRO ni Ginang Arroyo. Mayroon kaming security guard na mag-a-attest na sine-serve ito sa gabi. Pero po, syempre, kung ang process server po nandito, siya talaga po ang magsabing
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sine-serve namin iyan ala-sais o ala-siyete ng gabi. Ngayon, mga secondary witnesses sila na pwedeng i-prisenta. May iba pa pong mga posibleng secondary witnesses, pero dito na po kami sa yugto na tingin naman po namin, na-establish na namin iyong may motibong tumakas; naestablish na namin na may TRO na pinasa; na-establish na namin na walang life and death urgency para ibigay iyong TRO na without a hearing, wala man lang oportunidad ang gobyerno na sumagot; na-establish na rin namin, na tingin namin, may distortion. Ang kailangan na lang po naming i-prove, sino ang gumawa niyan? Was it the Chief Justice who did it? At tingin namin, in this stage, ang witness po namin manggagaling na talaga diyan. Kung hindi man isang justice, isang administrative officer na magsasabing: Sino ang nag-utos sa iyo na i-draft ang resolution na iyan? Anong oras mo dinraft? Bakit ina-announce na ni Atty. Midas Marquez alas-dos ng hapon, hindi pa pala tina-type? Sino ang nag-utos na driver ang mag-serve? Lahat po iyon galing na po sa Korte Suprema iyon at kung ito po ang decision ng Korte Suprema kanina na hindi na sila talaga mag-waive ng kanilang kini-claim na confidentiality, iyong mga primary witnesses na po iyan ay sa ganang akin, malaki ang posibilidad na wala na po sila. Hindi na po sila ma-prisenta dito. Senator Ejercito Estrada. So, is my understanding correct that the seven (7) witnesses that you have just presented under Article VII, that would be the last? Wala na ho kayong ipi-prisenta? Representative Colmenares. I think the lead Prosecutor will discuss that po, pero.... The Presiding Officer. Ilan iyong dating witnesses na nakalista para sa Article VII? Senator Ejercito Estrada. Twenty-four (24) po, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Twenty-four (24), so.... Senator Ejercito Estrada. That includes, Mr. President, the Justices of the Supreme Court. Representative Colmenares. If I may, Your Honor please. Kasi, pahahabain pa namin iyong....Gusto talaga naming ma-reduce sa smallest number of witnesses ayon na rin po sa opinyon ng lahat, I think even the Judges of this Honorable Impeachment Court. So, for us to present two or three witnesses, just to prove that the process server went to the DOJ at 6:00 p.m., ang process server mismo sana ng Korte Suprema ang pinakamabilis. So, hanggat maaari po sana, we would like to get primary evidence rather than secondary. The Presiding Officer. Sandali lamang. Mr. Prosecutor, kung nagpunta sila sa DOJ, bakit hindi ninyo, sa halip na manggagaling iyong ebidensiya ninyo sa Korte Suprema, bakit hindi ninyo gamitin iyong testimony ng mga taong nakakita doon sa Department of Justice? Representative Colmenares. Yes, po. Tama po. In fact, humingi po kami ng subpoena. The Presiding Officer. Bakit hindi ninyo gawin iyon? Representative Colmenares. May subpoena kami sa OIP. The Presiding Officer. Hindi na subpoena. Bakit subpoena pa, tao ng....Hindi ba ninyo kontrolado iyong partido ninyo? Representative Colmenares. Hindi po, Bayan Muna Party List po ako. The Presiding Officer. Pero coalition kayo e. Hindi ba kayo kasama sa coalition na nagimpeach nitong nakasakdal na mahistrado?
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Representative Colmenares. Hindi po, Prosecutor lamang po ako dito. Pero, naka-schedule po sila under our ano. Ang sinasabi ko lamang po.... The Presiding Officer. Why do you not just bring them here voluntarily in the same way that you brought the ABS-CBN personnel? Representative Comenares. Opo. They are willing naman po. The Presiding Officer. Precisely. So, you are making it appear na kawawa kayo. Representative Colmenares. Hindi po. The Presiding Officer. You have all the means. You have all the power. Representative Colmenares. Yes, po. May I have a one-minute recess? I will consult with the lead Prosecutor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Is there any objection? [Silence] There being none, one minute recess. The trial was suspended at 4:26 p.m. At 4:28 p.m., the trial was resumed. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, Senator Estrada has the floor. He is merely asking questions. So, may the Prosecution just answer the questions of Senator Estrada? The Presiding Officer. Yes. The gentleman from San Juan has the floor. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Congressman Colmenares, mukhang hindi ninyo pa ho nasasagot iyong aking katanungan. Representative Colmenares. Opo. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Paikliin na ho natin ang inyong sagot kasi masyadong mahaba. Representative Comenares. Opo. May mga lima pa ho. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Doon ba ho sa pitong witnesses na ipinresenta ninyo sa ilalim ng Artikulo VII, iyon na ba ang pinakahuli ninyo? Wala na kayong ipriprisenta? Representative Colmenares. Your Honor please, with your indulgence, the lead Prosecutor wants to speak. Representative Tupas. Magandang hapon po, Ginoong Pangulo. The Presiding Officer. Magandang hapon. Maayong hapon. Representative Tupas. Maayong hapon, Mr. Senate President. Doon sa tanong ng ating Kagalang-galang na Senador, kung ilang witnesses pa ang sa Article VII, ito na po iyong huling witness sa Article VII na subject to cross by the Defense. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Kasi nagtataka lamang ako dahil marami kayong isinulat, halos lahat iyong mga witnesses ninyo taga ABS-CBN. Taga ABS-CBN lamang ba ang kumuha ng mga video? Kasi mayroon kayong nakalista dito, Ms. Lea Manalac, taga GMA 7, Marlon Ramos, taga Inquirer, Marc Niruenas, taga GMA News. Hindi na ninyo sila ipriprisenta?
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Representative Tupas. Hindi na po. Corroborative na lamang po iyong sa kanila at we decided na iyong witness Mr. Llosala, iyon na iyong last witness for the Prosecution doon sa Article VII. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Okey. Huling katanungan lang po, Ginoong Congressman. Pagkatapos nitong Article VII, itutuloy ninyo pa ba sa ibang artikulo o tapos na tayo lahat? We will wait for the Defense to present their evidence. Are we done? Representative Tupas. Gusto ko pong mag-manifest mamaya-maya doon, Sir. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Ah, inuunahan lang kita? Representative Tupas. Yes, Sir. Senator Ejercito Estrada. Okey. Thank you. The Presiding Officer. The gentleman from Pampanga. Senator Pangilinan. Yes, Mr. President, thank you. Mr. President, with the earlier manifestation of Congressman Colmenares regarding the developments in the Supreme Court, as well as the confirmation of our Clerk of Court and our Secretary, it is in effect, Mr. President, the Supreme Court has made it known to us that they will refuse to honor or refuse to comply with the subpoena of this Court. The Presiding Officer. That is correct. Senator Pangilinan. And, I think, Mr. President, this is a serious development if we take it in the context of, first, we debated and discussed the issue of the TRO on the dollar accounts, saying then, I mean, a number of us felt that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction and we continue to assert that by way of having filed our answer or our position before the Supreme Court. So, after the TRO of our subpoena, Mr. President, on the dollar accounts, we now have this the refusal of the Supreme Court to honor or comply with the subpoena. My concern, Mr. President, is that, what happens next? As we go through this trial, what other orders or rulings will the Supreme Court undertake, thereby whittling away the powers of this Impeachment Court? I do not have the answers today. I am not asking for a position to be taken by the Impeachment Court today, Mr. President, but I think, just as we deliberated and voted on the issue of whether or not to honor the TRO, I think, we should deliberate and perhaps vote on the issue of whether or not we will accept the Supreme Courts refusal to comply with or honor our subpoena, Mr. President. And, perhaps, during a caucus we can discuss this maybe on Monday or some other time, Mr. President. But, I fear that unless we assert the primacy and supremacy of the Impeachment Court in impeachment proceedings, we might find ourselves in a joint venture or joint undertaking with the Supreme Court in terms of impeachment proceedings. And, therefore, the sole power, Mr. President, to try and decide impeachment cases becomes fiction. This is my fear, for the record, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Yes. The Chair would like to clarify because all these things might create a wrong impression to the public mind and to be fair to this Court, to be fair to our people, and to be fair to everybody, this Chair would like to humbly state for the record that the Supreme Court has
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no jurisdiction over the trial and decision that this Senate will make in this case. That is not indicated by the action of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the guardian of the Constitution. They know that the sovereign people of this country reposed to this Senate the sole power to try and decide this case. The Supreme Court cannot decide it. What happened was that we issued a subpoena and the internal rules of the Supreme Court, which is a co-equal, separate, independent and coordinate department with us, says, We have our own internal rules on this matter and we do not allow our justices, judges and employees to be subpoenaed by the Impeachment Court. That is another matter. It does not deprive us of jurisdiction to try and decide this case. In the same manner that, if you remember when the Senate had a problem with Malacaang in connection with some investigation being conducted by the Senate in one of its committees, the Palace invoked its executive privilege by preventing the members of the Palace staff, including the members of the bureaucracy and the military, from testifying in that particular investigation. And it was the Supreme Court which said, Yes, the Executive has an executive privilege but only up to a certain respect and in the manner they define as to how it could be invoked. And we continued with the hearing exercising our own jurisdiction over the matter which was the subject matter of the committee hearing at that time. That is the same situation here, is it not? No, they are not impeding us from continuing with the trial and decision on this case. We can decide this case even without those witnesses coming from the Supreme Court based on the evidence we have at hand. Senator Drilon. Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. The gentleman from Iloilo. Senator Drilon. Mr. President, considering the very sensitive nature of this issue, may I move that we discuss this in our next caucus rather than in open court, if that is in order. The Presiding Officer. Well, it was started by a member.... The Presiding Officer. Yes, we know, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. What is the pleasure of the House? Senator Sotto. We can take it up, Mr. President, on Monday at 12:00 noon. The Presiding Officer. All right. The Members of the Court will not discuss this any further. We will hold it under advisement and we will discuss it in the caucus on Monday. Senator Sotto. There is still one more question from a Member of the Court, Mr. President, Sen. Loren Legarda. The Presiding Officer. The lady Senator from Antique, Malabon, Manila and the Republic of the Philippines, Sen. Loren Legarda. Senator Legarda. Panay and Laguna, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Panay, Laguna Senator Legarda. And the Philippines. The Presiding Officer. ...and the Philippines.
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Senator Legarda. Thank you, Mr. President. Napakaikling point of clarification lamang po sa Prosecution, perhaps more particular to the person in a transcript. Is there a Mr. Parreo who said it yesterday? Mr. Parreo. Yes, the private Prosecutor. Senator Legarda. Maski sino po pero dahil ito po ay sa statements ni Mr. Parreo. Tungkol lamang po sa dalawang araw na nating pinapanood na mga video na pinapanood po ninyo po sa amin. Gusto ko lamang pong malaman, Mr. Parreo, anong oras ba ang business hours ng Korte Suprema? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, sa akin pong pagkaalam hanggang 4:30 p.m. po sila. Senator Legarda. Can you verify? I understand it is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The official office hours is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mr. Parreo. Usually, Your Honor, when we are trying to file at 4:30 it is closed. Senator Legarda. Yes. Mr. Parreo. But we will verify that, Your Honor. Senator Legarda. Yes, yes. We want to establish the office hours and I wish you would answer me with not usually because we want to establish a fact, not what is the usual practice. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. We will submit a manifestation to that effect. Senator Legarda. No. I do not need to.... You do not have to labor with the manifestation. Just give me the answer now. You can just call and you should have had that information because you discussed that for two days. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. You are correct, Your Honor. It is 8:00 to 5:00 officially. Senator Legarda. That is why do not rely on usual. You should rely on what is a factual basis because my questions are so simple. I just want to understand dahil dalawang araw ninyong pinapanood sa amin iyong video, because yesterday you established, based on the transcript, the rationale for showing us the video. Isa po sa inyong sinabi ang kadahilanan ng video na iyan, in your own words, para patunayan, tina-Tagalog ko na lang, na iyong Respondent ay ginamit ang kanyang puwersa para i-extend ang panahon ng office hours sa Korte Suprema para makapagbayad ng cash bond, para ma-grant iyong TRO. That is on page 27 of the transcript. Tinagalog ko iyong English na transcript. Kung 8 to 5 po ang opisina ng Korte Suprema, sinabi naman ninyo sa page 33 ng transcript, sa pagtatanong ng Presiding Officer, na iyong pagbibigay ng bayad ay nangyari ng 4:15, base sa third video. Eh ako po ay nalilito dahil ano po ang kasaysayan ng inyong pagpakita ng video kung ito naman po ay sakop ng panahon na may business hours? Dahil ang gusto ko po sanang napatunayan ninyo at nakumbinsi kami na talagang ini-stretched ang panahon na ginamit ang puwersa ng Respondent para nga maibigay itong cash bond na ito outside of the regular office hours. Because you have two contradictory statements, unless I do not understand the transcript. Can you just clarify, please?
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Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. Actually, Your Honor, at around 4:00 p.m. or 4:15, this was shown by the Video 3 that we presented, the messenger or Attorney Topacio was attempting to pay attempting to payduring that time. Senator Legarda. Please, just answer my question. Kayo po ang nagsabi, it happened at around 4:15, according to the watch. That is your answer to the Presiding Officer yesterday. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. Senator Legarda. 4:15. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. Senator Legarda. And I asked you the office hours of the Supreme Court is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. So, may I know what you meant by office hours were stretched? Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, actually, what happened at 4:15 based on our investigation was that the messenger attempted to pay, but afterwards, the cashier asked them for a copy of the resolution. So based actually on the records that we received, the certification of payment was given on the next day, February 16. Sorry, November 16. So, as of 6:03, as of posting time at 6:03, Your Honor, Attorney Topacio has yet to secure a copy of the resolution. So, the payment was not actually made at around 4:15, but afterwards. And also, Your Honor, to prove the extension of hours, there are other incidents as well, not only the payment of the bond but actually also, Your Honor, the submission of affidavits. I mean, the Special Power of Attorneys. Senator Legarda. Let us clarify. The Presiding Officer asked The third video was at four oclock. You said, Yes, Your Honor, it happened at around 4:15. My simple question, is what was the third video all about? Mr. Parreo. Maam, it was an attempt to pay. Senator Legarda. Was it not the close-up of the bag containing the money which represents the cash bond? Mr. Parreo. Yes, you are right, Maam. Senator Legarda. Yes. And that happened at 4:15? Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor, that was an attempt to pay at 4:15. Senator Legarda. Was there any payment made? Mr. Parreo. The payment was made subsequent to that. Senator Legarda. Which was what time? Mr. Parreo. It happened at around, Your Honor, based on our recollection, it happened at around 6:03. Senator Legarda. But you did not say that yesterday.
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The Presiding Officer. 6:03 of what day? Mr. Parreo. November 15 also, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. November 15. Senator Legarda. What part of the transcript did you say that yesterday, because he said yesterday, 4:15? Mr. Parreo. Actually, when we manifested that, Your Honor, we were referring to the attempt to pay. Senator Legarda. But you did not say attempt to pay yesterday, you are just saying it today. That is why I am confused. Because I read the transcripts of the days past and I compared it to your allegations on page 27 to what you actually said, transpired, which is on page 33. And I know that office hours is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Kaya gusto ko pong maintindihan kung bakit ninyo sinasabi na pina-extend ang office hours para po mabayaran yung cash bond kung naganap po ng 4:15. Yun lang po ang aking gustong maintindihan. Mr. Parreo. Yes, Your Honor. But actually that was an attempt to pay. The actual payment was made after Senator Legarda. Then you should have said there was an attempt to pay. Because I am reading the transcript now and, unless I cannot read or do not know how to spell, I cannot see the word attempt. Mr. Parreo. To be honest, Your Honor, we also had a discussion yesterday and I said I mentioned the wordI was referring to the other Prosecutor, I told them I mentioned the word attempt. Senator Legarda. I cannot see it now. Then, just like in the Senate Journal, we reviewed it then you should have asked the stenographers to correct it. Mr. Parreo. In any case, Your Honor, if there is a Senator Legarda. Because it confuses the Senator-Judges. Dahil po maliwanag sa inyong mga alegasyon among many things yung non-compliance sa cash bond, tatlong compliance sa TRO ay yung pagbabayad ng cash bond. At yung alegasyon nyo na ginamit ng Supreme Court Chief Justice, yung Respondent, ang kanyang puwersa para ma-extend yung office hours. That is why upon perusing this transcript I see that there is no extension. That is the reason why I am clarifying with you baka naman nagkamali ang stenographer, nagkamali kayo sa oras o nagkamali ang inyong alegasyon. Mr. Parreo. Your Honor, the time as ofthe video time is correct, that is around 4:15. If I made the impression that I did not mention the word attempt, Your Honor, let me correct that now. The 4:15 was attempted Senator Legarda. Well, I do not know how many corrections you will have to make because these are records of the Senate. On another page17, how can it be on Page 17? (Conferring with Senator Drilon.) In another page.
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Anyway, my point is, Mr. President, I simply wanted to understand and be convinced that indeed there was herculean effort to make sure that powers were utilized to extend office hours to accommodate the cash bond which was being posted by the former President. I think I made my point clear and that is all, Mr. President. Thank you. The Presiding Officer. Thank you. Prosecutors. Senator Sotto. The lead Prosecutor, Mr. President, wants the floor before the The Presiding Officer. The gentleman from Iloilo. Representative Tupas. Yes, just a short manifestationimportant manifestation for the Prosecution, Your Honor. May we be given two minutes. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Representative Tupas. Thank you. The Presiding Officer. You can spend more than two minutes. Representative Tupas. Thank you. Thank you, sir. On January 30, 2012, on Day 8 of the impeachment trial, we manifested that the House Panel will present its case within a reasonable time as we believe that this is the best for the nation. We do not wish to prolong the proceedings and impose upon the time of this honorable Tribunal, the Respondent, and that of the public that we serve. Today, Your Honors, on Day 25 of the impeachment trial, the House Prosecution has thus far presented 17 witnesses for Article II; one (1) witness for Article III; and seven (7) witnesses for Article VII or a total of 25 witnesses, and has marked, thus far, 166 documents for Article II. The Presiding Officer. Seventeen (17) witnesses for Article II? Representative Tupas. Alone, yes, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Representative Tupas. And has marked 166 documents for Article II alone; 16 for Article III; and 65 for Article VII for a total of 397 documents marked thus far for Articles II, III and VII. Your Honor, Mr. President, it is our humble submission that we have already presented a strong case and the evidence that we have laid down suffices for the removal from office of Chief Justice Renato Corona for betrayal of public trust. With the presentation of Articles III, VII and especially Article II. The Presiding Officer. How about culpable violation of the Constitution? Representative Tupas. We are proving betrayal of public trust, Your Honor, in this respect. The Presiding Officer. the Constitution? You are no longer using the ground of culpable violation of
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Representative Tupas. The betrayal of public trust. The Presiding Officer. Ha? Representative Tupas. Betrayal. The Presiding Officer. The Court would like a categorical answer.
Representative Tupas. With respect to Article II. The Presiding Officer. If you want to make a categorical Representative Tupas. With respect to Article II, it is both, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. The Presiding Officer. Article II. Representative Tupas. With respect to Article II. With respect to the other Articles of Impeachment that we have thus far presented evidence, namely: Article III and Article VII, betrayal of public trust. May I proceed, Sir? The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Tupas. This is for that reason that after the presentation of Article II, The NonDisclosure of SALN, Article III, The Competence, Integrity, Probity and Independence of a Member of the Supreme Court and Article VII, TRO in Favor of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Prosecution will no longer present evidence or rather the Prosecution is terminating the presentation of its evidence, of course, subject to the cross tomorrow by the Defense. We will no longer present evidence with respect to the other Articles of Impeachment namely: Article I, this is the midnight appointment and the voting pattern, we no longer present evidence; Article VIII The Presiding Officer. Article IV. Representative Tupas. Article VIII first, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. Representative Tupas. Article VII, because this is the sequence which we filed a manifestation. Article I, we will no longer present; Article VIII, this is with respect to the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) and Special Allowances for Judiciary or SAJs, we will no longer present; Article IV, regarding the issuance of the status quo ante order enjoining the proceedings of the House of Representatives during the Merceditas Gutierrez impeachment, we will no longer present evidence; Article V is the flip-flopping of sixteen (16) cities, the FASAP and the Dinagat Island cases, we will no longer present; and Article VI is with respect to the creation by the Supreme Court of this Ethics Committee which absolved one of the justices of the Supreme Court, namely, Justice Del Castillo. We will no longer present evidence.
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Mr. President, the Prosecution in terminating the presentation of its evidence, reserve its right to present evidence on the dollar accounts of the Respondent Chief Justice Renato Corona for Article II. As we know, there is a case. In fact, today a Comment Ad Cautelam Ex Superabundanti was filed this noontime by the Senate, as well as the House panel of Prosecution, with respect to the Temporary Restraining Order issued on February 9, 2012 by the Supreme Court. Just to point out that in thatjust a one-paragraph statement on that Comment Ad Cautelam Ex Superabundanti filed today, the House Prosecution and the Senate were of the position that the Senate Impeachment Tribunal issued a subpoena dated February 6, 2012, pursuant to its constitutional power to try and decide all cases of impeachment which includes the manner The Presiding Officer. Sole power, sole power. Representative Tupas. sole power to try and decide all impeachment cases which includes the manner and form of issuance of such writs such as the subpoena. We just want to make that of record, Your Honor, because tomorrow we will only have the cross to finish the presentation of evidence of the Prosecution and we also reserve our right tomorrow after the cross. The Presiding Officer. I would like toare you through? Representative Tupas. Not yet. The Presiding Officer. Tell me when you are through and I want to post some question. Representative Tupas. Yes, Sir. After the presentation tomorrow of the crossafter the cross by the Defense, we would like to reserve our right to request for a period of time, to give us time within which to submit our formal offer of documentary evidence. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Tupas. That is all, Your Honor, and thank you so much. The Presiding Officer. I want to clarify. Are you telling this Court, you are now saying you will stand or fall on Article II, Article III and Article VII? Representative Tupas. That is correct, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Articles of Impeachment? You will not present any evidence on the other articles of your
Representative Tupas. That is correct, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Are you withdrawing formally these articles, Articles I, IV, V, VI and VIII? Representative Tupas. Those articles The Presiding Officer. Are you going to formally withdraw these articles? Representative Tupas. We are dropping the articles, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. Then, write the corresponding motion to drop Articles I, IV, V, VI, and VIII. The Court would want the Prosecution to formally file a motion that will be approved by this Court formally to drop and withdraw without any further reception of evidence on Articles I, IV, V, VI, and VIII. Senator Sotto. Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Gentleman from Makati and Bicol. Senator Arroyo. Mr. President, I think that that is the privilege of the Prosecution if they prefer not to proceed anymore with the five articles. So, I would suggest that they just file a notice, formal notice and not a motion because I think it would be unfair if we still pass judgment on what they would want to prove. Just a notice and that is it. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Tupas. We can do that, sir. The Presiding Officer. You file so that if you do not make a formal notice or motion, then my next question to you: Are you submitting these cases for decision on the basis of the pleadings that were filed? Because there are pleadings already that were filed. There was ayour Articles of Impeachment, there was an Answer, you made a Reply. There are controverted facts. There are defenses that were raised by the Defense which will bind you if you are not going to traverse them. So, I want a formal statement of your clear position on this matter. Representative Tupas. Yes, sir. We will do that. We will file a formal notice that we are not anymore presenting evidence with respect to Articles I, VIII, IV, V and VI. The Presiding Officer. Not only that you are not presenting but that you are withdrawing. Representative Tupas. And we are withdrawing, yes. The Presiding Officer. And in effect, cancelling these individual articles of impeachment in your Articles of Impeachment against the Respondent. Representative Tupas. We will do that, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Very clear ha, very clear. And that you will stand or fall in your case against the Respondent on the basis of Articles II, III and VII. Representative Tupas. Correct, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Of your Articles of Impeachment. Representative Tupas. Yes, sir. The Presiding Officer. Okay. What is the pleasure of the Defense? Mr. Cuevas. Well, I was about to make a short manifestation. The Presiding Officer. Proceed. Mr. Cuevas. In connection with the alleged offer of non-presenting evidence insofar as the specific Articles of Impeachment are concerned. But I will be more correctly satisfied, Your Honor, if there is a withdrawal or a notice to that effect filed before this Court so that the Court may act on it very, very formally, Your Honor.
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The Presiding Officer. Yes.
Senator Sotto. Mr. President, the reaction from Senator Arroyo, I think, is misinterpreted. The Presiding Officer. Yes, the gentleman from Makati and Bicol. Senator Arroyo. Mr. President, I do not think the action of the Prosecution to file a notice is subject to an opposition of the. Mr. Cuevas. I am not opposing. Senator Arroyo. or even our approval. And that is their right. Senator Sotto. No action necessary. Mr. Cuevas. I think a courts action will be necessary, Your Honor, because the pleadings have gone so far already. There were evidences presented this way and that way. And I do not think that either party may do what they want without an approval from this court, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Anyway. Senator Arroyo. Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Senator Arroyo. The Prosecution is not interested anymore on five articles. So if they file a notice informing the Senate that they will not anymore prosecute the five articles, so be it. And that is it. And then it is not subject to the approval of the Senate because they are the ones who filed the articles. It is their privilege to withdraw it, if they want to. So, if they file a notice, that is it. The Presiding Officer. We want to be sure that we have a formal evidence of the position of the Prosecution that they are, in effect, withdrawing as Articles of Impeachment, Article I, Article IV, Article V, Article VI and Article VIII. That is as far as the Articles of Impeachment is concerned. Now, but you cannot deprive the Defense about the effect of their answers. They can use their answers to these articles, if they are material for the Defense of their client. Representative Tupas. Your Honor, we will do that. The Presiding Officer. Okay. Is that understood by the Prosecution? Representative Tupas. Yes, it is loud and clear, Your Honor. And the Prosecution wishes to thank the kind statement of Sen. Joker Arroyo. The Presiding Officer. All right. What is the pleasure of the Defense? Senator Sotto. Mr. President. Mr. Cuevas. We submit, Your Honor. We have delivered our piece and we will submit, Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. All right. So ordered. Senator Sotto. Thank you. Mr. President.
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The Presiding Officer. Floor leader. Senator Sotto. Yesterday, the Counsel for Chief Justice Corona filed a Motion to Suppress Illegally Obtained Evidence seeking to expunge from the record all evidence thus far offered, received and proposed in relation to the subpoenas addressed to PSBank Branch Manager, Ms. Anabelle Tiongson. To allow our colleagues to go over the pleading that was filed, I move that we take up the matter in caucus also on Monday, March 5, 2012. The Presiding Officer. Is there any objection? Representative Tupas. Your Honor. The Presiding Officer. Yes. Representative Tupas. With respect to that Motion filed by the Defense, we filed a Manifestation today. The Prosecution filed a Manifestation that we will file an Opposition on or before March 5, Monday. The Presiding Officer. Then granted. Representative Tupas. Thank you. Senator Sotto. We will take it up. Thank you, Mr. President. The Presiding Officer. We will take it up in our caucus on Monday. Senator Sotto. Thank you. Mr. President, may we ask the Sergeant-At-Arms to make an announcement. The Presiding Officer. The Sergeant-at-Arms may now make an announcement. The Sergeant-at-Arms. Please all rise. All persons are commanded to remain in their places until the Senate President and the Senators have left the Session Hall. Senator Sotto. Mr. President, I move to adjourn until two oclock in the afternoon of Wednesday, February 29, 2012. The Presiding Officer. Is there any objection? [Silence] There being none, the trial is hereby adjourned until two oclock in the afternoon of Wednesday, February 29, 2012. So ordered. The trial was adjourned at 5:04 p.m.

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