Prosecution team makes decisions as a group

We refer to Fr. Joe Dizon’s letter titled “Tupas not serious in going after CJ?” (Inquirer, 3/21/12) While we thank Father Dizon for supporting the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, it is unfair for him to say that Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. “is not serious in going after Corona.”

First of all, Tupas terminated the prosecution’s presentation of evidence and excluded Supreme Court Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno’s testimony after careful deliberation with the leaders of the House of Representatives and the entire prosecution team. It was a collective decision, not “on-the-spot” as Father Dizon supposes.

Sereno had earlier intimated that she would not testify voluntarily and would only do so by virtue of a subpoena, which the impeachment tribunal refused to issue to a coequal branch of government as a matter of courtesy. While the prosecution respects and understands Sereno’s position, the impeachment tribunal and the rest of the nation could not be left hanging by Sereno’s reluctance to testify. Had the prosecution insisted on putting Sereno on the witness stand, without certainty of her willingness to testify, everyone would have been left waiting in vain.

Tupas believes that a speedy resolution of the impeachment case against the Chief Justice would serve the ends of justice and the larger interest of the nation, as against needlessly prolonging the hearing.

Father Dizon should have first asked public prosecutor Rep. Neri Colmenares about the circumstances surrounding that decision before making his own conclusions. Nevertheless, if Father Dizon could persuade Sereno to testify in the impeachment case voluntarily even at this stage of the hearing, we would be most grateful to him and we will suggest to the prosecution to study the possibility of presenting her testimony during rebuttal.

Further, we take exception to Father Dizon’s statements that Tupas’ “decision to exclude” Sereno as witness in the impeachment trial “highlights Tupas’ lack of competence to effectively articulate the case against Corona,” “undermines the chance of convicting Corona,” and “may also weaken public support against the Chief Justice.”

Against all odds and amid all the devious maneuverings of the defense, the prosecution, under the leadership of Tupas, has ably brought to the fore evidence after evidence against the Chief Justice. Now that it is the turn of the defense to present evidence, the latter has so far been confirming the accusations leveled against Corona and has been desperately scrambling to find excuses for him.

The commendable performance of the prosecution in holding the Chief Justice accountable has so far translated into survey findings showing that 47 percent of Filipinos find Corona guilty of the charges against him; compared to a measly 5 percent who consider him innocent. The survey was conducted from Feb. 26-March 9, 2012.

—JOENAR PUEBLO,

supervising legislative staff officer,

Office of Rep. Niel C. Tupas Jr.