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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Miriam Santiago not feeling the love

by Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews.com

Says prosecution almost gave her heart attack

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago left the impeachment hearing early today after again giving the prosecution a dressing down.

“Halos atakihin ako (sa puso) dahil ang pinag-uusapan kanina ay ang sinabi ng opisyal ng bangko kahapon tungkol sa ipinakita na ebidensya tungkol daw sa dollar bank accounts ni Chief Justice [Renato Corona],” she told reporters after walking out of the room.

Her blood pressure shot up to 170/90. She was advised by the medical services of the Senate to go home and rest.

Santiago took offense to the supposed specimen card attached by the prosecution in a request to subpoena Corona’s alleged dollar accounts.

Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) Katipunan branch manager Annabelle Tiongson said in her testimony Monday that the document is fake.

The prosecution, using the document, claimed the account had an initial deposit of “$700K”, which it interpreted to be $700,000 (around P38 million in October 2008). The prosecution alleged this was not declared in Corona’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).

A subpoena was issued in connection with this. However, it became a subject of a dispute among senator-judges since the accounts contain information on foreign currency deposits which are absolutely confidential unless the depositor agrees to disclose the information.

“Bakit pa kami nag-issue ng subpoena? Ang natuklasan ko ganito: Una, ang sabi nila mayroong babae na nagbigay ng impormasyon sa amin tungkol dito sa secret accounts na ito. Hindi pwedeng magbigay ka ng subpoena na ang sinabi lang ng abugado ay ‘merong nagbulong lang sa akin.’ Hearsay evidence iyon,” Santiago said.

She also took note of the prosecution’s claims that the media also has the same information.

“Hindi ka pwedeng mag-issue ng subpoena base lamang dun sa sinabi ng isang reporter o kolumnista. That’s outside of the rules of evidence. Ang dapat lang panggalingan ng ebidensya ay ang tao na gamit niya ang five senses niya: nakita niya, narinig niya, natikman niya, naamoy niya, nahawakan niya,” she said.

She said she is angry because even a trial court will not issue a subpoena based on such kind of evidence.

“Iyong taong anonymous na iyon pala ay kaya kaming paikutin, o kaya itong mga kolumnistang iyon kaya pala kaming impluwensyahan. Anong klase iyan? Galit na galit ang ating batas sa ganung klaseng ebidensya, na sabi nga sa ating Saligang Batas mismo, na kapag sobra na ang publicity o trial by publicity sa labas ng courtroom, dapat palitan na ang lugar dahil na-poison na ang mga isipan ng mga tao tungkol diyan,” she said.

She said she is very, very angry because many rules have been violated.

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