Enrile Clarifies Roles Of Players In Impeach Trial
MANILA, Philippines -- After four days of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, presiding judge of the impeachment court, on Sunday clarified the roles of the prosecutors, defense lawyers, and the senator-judges.
Earlier, the defense team made an observation that Senator Franklin Drilon may have taken up the role of a prosecution lawyer, especially when he successfully elicited the response from the clerk of court that she brought with her Corona’s statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth. Its members said they were thinking of asking Drilon to inhibit himself as his questioning tends to favor the prosecution.
Enrile, who was interviewed over radio station dzBB, said that like a judge in a regular court, senator-judges in this case may ask questions that would help clarify the facts for them.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said the defense may be delaying the proceedings too much with its questions to the prosecution witnesses.
But Enrile said it is not the defense questioning that is delaying the proceedings but the markings on the exhibits. He said the defense is entitled to question the prosecution witness.
He said a “skillful presentation” by the prosecution and the defense may take a month each.
The period of presentation “depends on the lawyers” and the “trial techniques” they use, he said.
Source: http://interaksyon.net/article/22544/enrile-clarifies-roles-of-players-in-impeach-trial
