THE FACE-OFF, SLEEPING BEAUTY AND THE LONG WEEK OFF

Childsh Aguirre earned the ire of Sen. Defensor-Santiago

THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL - DAY 26, FEB. 29, 2012
by Wilfred Avila

A quarter past two in the afternoon, the Senator-Judges filed into the Senate Hall to begin the 26th day of the longest impeachment trial ever. Well, to be precise, the only impeachment trial ever in Philippine historywith Senator-Judge Pia Cayetano leading the prayers for a wisdom filled afternoon. Twenty Senator-Judges were present for this hearing.

As the trial began, Minority Floor Leader Sen. Alan Cayetano stood first and said that he undertook some research related to immunity of Supreme Court Justices. He wanted the Senate, as a body, to further discuss the Supreme Court's resolution barring employees from testifying in the impeachment hearings and releasing of documents required in the deliberations. He further said that he prepared a legal study based on cases he researched. He ended by stating that this could be taken up in a caucus.

Vote on SC TRO Draws the Line

PS Bank's petition for TRO on FCDU was granted by SC

Last February 9, 2012, the Supreme Court en banc decide to grant PS Bank's petition for temporary restraining order (TRO) on the public disclosure of Chief Justice Corona's dollar accounts with the bank.

The issuance of TRO triggered a debate among senator-judges on whether the Supreme Court can exercise its innate power to do judicial review on matters being discussed by the impeachment court.