Defense team suspects Malacañang bribing senators

The defense team of Chief Justice Renato Corona suspected Malacanang presented Php 100 million to the senators to work on the temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court regarding the subpoena given on the dollar accounts of CJ.

Defense lawyer Dennis Manalo said that according to their very reliable source, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. is making contact with the senator judges so that it the order will be stopped.

However, the team avoids exposing their source and the stressed that it was very trustworthy.

Attorney Jose "Judd" Roy III, in addition said that the said payment is supposed to be used for the soft projects of the government which is probably be given by this week.

Manalo said in a statement that yesterday, they received very reliable information that Executive Secretary Ochoa, acting in behalf of President Aquino, was personally contacting and phoning senator-judges to pursuade or pressure them to defy TRO issued by SC in favor of PSBank.

The team expressed disapproval in the dealings of President Benigno Aquino III to challenge the constitutional procedure that he himself started.

On the other hand, Ochoa described the allegations as a "desperate gimmick of the defense team.

He said that as a member of the Bar, he respect the right of the lawyers of the Chief Justice to protect the interests of their client, within the bounds of the law. However, citing rumors to prove baseless accusations to support their cause goes against the principles of decent and ethical lawyering.

He added that it is a desperate gimmick that does not belong in the proceedings of any court of law, especially an impeachment trial.

Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the defense team's conspiracy theories concerning Ochoa is a diversionary tactic to distract attention from the evidence coming to light in the impeachment trial.

Lacierda said that the Senate has been conducting the impeachment trial in full light of day; the prosecution and defense have been given every opportunity to have themselves heard.

Ha added that they can only surmise that the defense has run out of ways to conceal the culpability of its client, and has engineered this move as a last-ditch effort to confuse the proceedings and prevent a resolution. - PIA — ARA