Moments of laughter break ‘monotony’ in Corona trial

Just how fast is “faster than 12 o’clock”? And what is a military rank called DD? Do guys really shun from gossip? These were the topics that provided some smiles, if not laughter, in the otherwise monotonous impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona in the Senate on Thursday.

No less than the usually stern Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, after he asked one prosecutor how fast is “faster than 12 o’clock,” admitted that he was just trying to “break the monotony of the proceedings.”

The 88-year-old Enrile asked the question after public prosecutor Raul Daza responded to Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada’s inquiry on how fast the Supreme Court issued the temporary restraining order on the implementation of the watch list order against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband.

“Inilabas po ‘yung TRO nang mas mabilis pa sa alas-dose,” Daza said.

“Gaano ba kabilis ang alas-dose?” Enrile asked, sending many in the Senate session hall into laughter.

Read full story here By ANDREO CALONZO and KIM TAN, GMA News

Witness in Corona impeach gives birth; Senate OKs substitute

-By Kate Evangelista (INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines – A witness who was expected to testify on the peso bank documents of Chief Justice Corona at the resumption of his trial Wednesday failed to appear because she gave birth earlier in the day, the lead prosecutor said.

Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas’ announcement on Leonora Dizon, branch manager of the bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) on Ayala Avenue, was confirmed by the bank’s representative Rosario Jurado-Benedicto who said that Dizon gave birth at 7:45 a.m.

Benedicto said Dizon’s replacement has not arrived.

Tupas said that Dizon submitted the documents regarding the monthly statement of accounts of Corona’s BPI peso account.

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile then asked the senator-judges if they would welcome a substitute witness.
Senator Franklin Drilon, who specifically requested the recall of Dizon, confirmed that he was amenable to another witness so long as he or she could answer questions pertaining to the monthly statement of accounts.

Lead defense counsel former Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas questioned the recall of Dizon and the subpoena for the monthly statements of  account of Corona’s bank account. However, Enrile said that Senator Drilon still has pending questions regarding the bank account in question.