Corona’s Trialserye culminated by Walkout

Many people have waited for the much awaited presentation of Chief Justice Corona in the witness stand. But not all of us have anticipated the drama that will unfold in today’s trial. He started out with reading of his opening statement to which became rebuttal of all the accusations against him. It seemed that the opening statement became the defense’s direct examination in narrative form. It may have gave the lead defense counsel Ret. Justice Serafin Cuevas the rest that he needs because the floor was left to his client who kept on talking (with some interruptions during his crying moments) for 3 hours denying all that the prosecution have presented. He even matched the Ombudman’s “Lantern of Lies” powerpoint presentation with his “Pie of Truth” (thanks to Sir Loi Landicho for the phrase) powerpoint version.

But after that long testimony of declaring clear conscience and litany of truths on his part, the climax came when after challenging the 188 complainants of the impeachment and Sen. Drilon to sign the same bank waiver that he signed, he just walked-out of the impeachment court without being officially discharged by the presiding judge.

That immediately caught the ire of Sen. Enrile who felt disrespected by the Chief Magistrate. I felt sad and angry for JPE, that after the respect and courtesy he and the impeachment court accorded to Corona, he will just walk-out of the room without proper notification.

During the course of his litany of truths, I am starting to have compassion of him as he and his family are being drowned to such public humiliation and character assassination. That indeed he really is a man of good character and that he really has nothing to hide and be convicted of. But with that actuation after he ends his speech, it convinced me that all of this are drama. He was not there to show the truth but to draw sympathy so as the public will rally for him. He didn’t sat on the witness stand to prove the falsity of the testimonies and evidences against him but just to narrate that what he said is the truth. There may have been shining moment when he showed and signed in front of the public via the nationwide live television the waiver to open his accounts but to our dismay it has conditions. How can you one trust your sincerity in doing something if there are conditions attached to it. It’s like saying “Ok I will say sorry but you have to say sorry to me first before I do”. Where on earth is the sincerity in such an action?

Instead of clearing his name with all those statements he said on the witness stand, I can’t help but be more doubtful of his intentions. Did he took the witness stand just to lash out on his detractors? Does he have any intentions to be cross-examined or he just want to take the moment to voice out all his sentiments which is not new to the public? If Corona is really confident that he has done nothing wrong, why the walk-out?

Yes, I know that his legal team has already said that it was not an intentional walk out but it concerns his health because he suffered hypoglycemia right after his speech. But what a coincidence that is. There are several instances that his speech was halted because of his seemingly breaking into tears, why didn’t he called the attention of the court if he’s in pain already?

With what happened today, I think Corona added more burden on his shoulders to clearly explain his innocence. With the cross-examination schedule tomorrow, I will still hear his side but his explanation should be so convincing, because the drama and theatrics that unfolded in today’s trial is not easy to be disregarded.

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“It’s not the words that count, sometimes actions are more revealing than what you have spoken”