Press Release
January 30, 2012

Transcript of Interview of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

On the Impeachment Trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona

Q: Sir, are you satisfied with the pace of the impeachment trial or mas mainam po kaya kung nagka-pre trial conference as suggested by Senator...?

SP: I am going to suggest that to the parties because now of the volume of the announced number of witnesses and documents to be presented. I would suggest that they sit down with the two panels and see what they can agree upon, so that there is no more need for testimonial or documentary evidence to be presented and what they will prove.

Q: Sir, suggestion niyo po ba may kasamang senators or yung two panels lang?

SP: I will suggest that openly para maliwanag. Walang mga usapang sikreto.

Q: Sir, pinapatanong lang po, would you advise Senator Miriam to tone down naman sa mga congressmen?

SP: I am going to appeal to everybody to exercise cordiality with one another so that hindi nag-sasakitan. Hindi naman tayo nag-aaway dito. We are doing a job assigned to us by the sovereign people of the country in their Constitution.

Q: Sir yung suggestion niyo na dialogue between the prosecution and the defense, how are you going to work that out? You said openly?

SP: I will try to suggest to them. You see, under our system tinatawag na adversarial proceedings ay pwede namang magkasunduan yung magkabilang panig kung ano 'yung mga pwede nilang pag-usapan at pagka-sunduan na hindi na kailangang lilitisin pa at kung ano 'yung dapat patunayan. Nasa Rules lahat 'yan.

Q: Sir, pwede pang ma-reduce 'yung number ng prosecution witnesses in case that happens?

SP: I don't know.

Q: Sir, you were against holding a pre-trial sir, pero...

SP: In the beginning, I did not want to call a pre-trial because baka ma-misunderstand ng publiko na sa umpisa palang pinag-uusapan na, nilulutong-Macau na ito, kaya hindi ko ginawa 'yon.

Q: Pero, sir, ngayon?

SP: Ngayon, dahil nga may announcement na napakaraming testigo na darating at saka libu-libong o daan-daang dokumento 'yung ipepresenta, matagal 'yan kung ganon. Nakita naman ninyo ang takbo ng trial kaya kung maaari ay dapat pag-usapan ng dalawang panig. Hindi ko sila pipilitin, imumungkahi ko lamang. Q: Sir, ano pong sikreto niyo na ang memory ninyo ay talagang napaka-talas?

SP: Nag-aaral ako. Nag-reresearch ako at kung hindi ko na makayanan 'yung research load ay pinare-research ko sa mga ibang abogado.

Q: Sir, 'yung meeting between prosecution and defense, paano i-work-out 'yun? May representatives from each panel?

SP: 'Yung head ng prosecution at head ng defense, 'yun ang mag-uusap. Kung sino ang gusto nilang kasama, nasa kanila 'yun. Hindi natin maaaring diktahan 'yun.

Q: Pero that would take outside the schedule of the trial, sir?

SP: Kung magkasundo sila, it will reduce the time.

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