Why Cuevas ‘forced’ to deny Inquirer story

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas was forced to deny a Philippine Daily Inquirer report regarding his claim that a Malacañang emissary had asked him to withdraw as lead defense lawyer for Chief Justice Renato Corona after “a dressing down” from an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) official.

An INC insider said leaders of the religious group were shocked upon reading the newspaper story in which Cuevas said that an emissary whom he described as a “Malacañang rah-rah boy” had approached him to ask that he quit as chief defense counsel in Corona’s impeachment trial.

But what peeved the INC hierarchy, the source said, was Cuevas’ disclosure that the move to get him to withdraw was tied up with the case of ousted National Bureau of Investigation Director Magtanggol Gatdula.

Cuevas said the Malacañang emissary had told him Gatdula would be spared of any criminal charge if Cuevas quit the Corona defense team.

Both Cuevas and Gatdula are members of the INC. A justice department panel has recommended the filing of criminal charges against Gatdula for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an undocumented Japanese woman.

Inquirer story correct
“Ka Apin (a reference to Cuevas) was called to the INC headquarters in Quezon City right after the story came out in the Inquirer,” said the source, who sought anonymity for fear of punitive action from his religious group. “He was given a dressing down because he mentioned Gatdula in the interview.”

“Your story is correct,” the source added, referring to the Inquirer article.
The source also said that Cuevas, 83, would not be disciplined despite his blooper given his advanced age.

The source said the dressing down took place before Cuevas appeared at the Senate on Monday and that the INC was upset Cuevas had dragged the organization’s name in the interview with the Inquirer.

“A lay member should not talk about or make references to the INC as an institution. Only the ministers [can], and (Cuevas) is not even one,” the source said.

‘Lapse in judgment’
The source said that after Cuevas was reprimanded (pinagalitan), “Ka Apin had to do an about face at the risk of losing his credibility.”

“Had Ka Apin limited himself to the discussion of pressure from Malacañang, there wouldn’t have been any problem. But the thing was that he had to mention the quid pro quo (palit-ulo) about Gatdula.”

“The mention of Ka Tanggol’s (a reference to Gatdula) name was considered a lapse in judgment on the part of Ka Apin,” the source added. “The INC was displeased so there was extreme pressure to deny.”

Message to Palace
The INC source would not confirm whether Gatdula’s appointment as NBI top honcho had been a favor extended to the organization.

However, the source said the choice of Abraham Espejo, a prominent INC member, as Gatdula’s lawyer was supposed to “send a message to Malacañang” to take it easy with the sacked director.

Espejo is the dean of the New Era University College of Law, the source said. “Why would they send in the dean if the hierarchy is treating Gatdula’s situation as an ordinary case?” the source said.

A Malacañang official said the ball was now in Cuevas’ court following the Inquirer’s release of the transcript and audio of its interview with Cuevas, in which the latter said a Palace emissary had tried to prod him into quitting as Corona’s chief lawyer.

“At this point, it will be up to Justice Cuevas to support his (denial) and, until such time, we will defer comment,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters.

Incredulous Leila
Palace officials have denied Cuevas’ allegation and challenged him to identify the “emissary” who approached him. They also said it was not the habit of Malacañang to pressure anyone.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima rejected Cuevas’ claim that someone from Malacañang tried to pressure him into quitting the Corona defense panel.

“When the report came out, I did not believe it. I seriously doubt that it was true, that somebody (from Malacañang) was talking to him,” De Lima told reporters.
“In the case of NBI Director Gatdula, I was the only one that the President was talking to, although there were (times) that the Executive Secretary joined the discussion, so there’s no such thing,” De Lima said.


De Lima added: “Some sectors are again fabricating stories and putting all sorts of slants in the issue.”  With reports from Christine O. Avendaño and Jerome Aning

Chief Justice Impeachment Trial

Corona impeach trial resumes; more prosecution witnesses to be presented

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate sitting as an impeachment court resumed on Tuesday, the 9^th day of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona since it started last January 16, 2012.

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile banged the gavel to open the trial at around 2:00 p.m..

At the resumption of the hearing, the prosecution team is expected to present more witnesses, including representatives of different property developers, in connection with Article 2 of the complaint pertaining to Corona’s alleged failure to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

In the past hearings, the prosecution presented witnesses to prove its allegation that Corona did not declare all his properties in his SALN or that he has allegedly used his wife and some family members to hide his properties.

Chief Justice Impeachment Trial

175 private citizens allotted seats to impeachment trial of Chief Justice

MANILA, Philippines—Young-looking senior citizens are advised to bring identification cards, preferably the ones with their birth dates indicated, if they wish to avail of the 25 slots allotted to them inside the Senate gallery for the duration of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial.

“Because some of the senior citizens look like they’re only 40 years old,” noted retired Brig. Gen. Jose Balajadia, chief of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms (OSSAA).

“That’s true,” he insisted at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday. “Some of them look young.  So if you’re a young-looking senior, please bring your ID,” the Senate security chief appealed.

Like a blockbuster movie with limited seating, Corona’s impeachment trial in the Senate will provide seats to 175 private individuals, including 25 senior citizens inside the session hall.

The session hall has a seating capacity of 361.  However, many of the seats have already been allotted to the staff of senator-judges, House prosecutors and defense lawyers who will participate in the trial.

Even media has not been spared from the limited seating conundrum.

Senate director for print media services Samuel Y. Santos said only 40 seats were allotted for various media entities including print, television, radio that would cover the trial.

Santos said the slots could be raffled off “shortly before lunch” in case more than 40 journalists indicate interest in covering the trial from the session hall.

Balajadia said all tickets for private viewers would be distributed at the police outpost in front of the pedestrian gate of the Senate entrance.

“We will give tickets starting 11 a.m.  We advise everybody to line up early because (the distribution) would be a first-come-first-served basis,” he said.

The impeachment court spokesperson, Atty. Valentina Cruz, stressed that only one pass will be issued to each person at the line.

Balajadia stressed that all cellular phones of private individuals watching the trial should be turned off once they enter the session hall.

“Media can use their cellphones (inside the session hall) but please put them on silent (mode). And talking on the cell phones while the trial is going on (is prohibited). Because the conversations would be heard by senator-judges,” he explained.

Texting by reporters “is okay,” Balajadia said, “but the rest of the people, the public, we expect them to turn off their cell phones.”

Cruz warned in the same forum that all persons, whether private individuals or journalists, “can be evicted” if caught taking photos or videos of the impeachment proceedings.

She also said private citizens wearing shorts, undershirts or slippers would not be admitted to the session hall.

“This is to preserve the dignity of the impeachment trial,” she explained.

Reporters, meanwhile, are required to cover the trial in “appropriate attire.” Men are expected to wear “slacks, pants and suit pants” as well as “collared short or long-sleeved shirts.”  Denim jeans can also be worn as long as these are not faded, torn or “worn with rugged shirts.”

Women can also wear slacks and business suits as well as casual dresses if the hem is “knee length or below the knee.” Sleeveless blouses should be worn with a cardigan, Cruz stressed.

Anthony Samonte, OSSAA security support service director, warned that shirts bearing “propaganda” messages, pins and other paraphernalia would not be allowed inside the session hall.

“Guests will also be restricted to designated areas and will not be allowed to roam around,” he added.

Cruz said the doors to the session hall would be closed at exactly 2 p.m., the beginning of the trial.

“We close doors but they would not be locked. That is how we implement the provision of the rules,” she explained.

By Cathy Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Chief Justice Impeachment Trial