Who's Who in The Corona Impeachment Trial

The Senate has the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. The Senate

President Senate presides in all other cases of impeachment.

Impeachment Trial: It's More Fun in the Philippines
(Picture courtesty of technogra.ph )

The members of the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, will try and decide the impeachment complaint against Corona. With Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as the presiding officer, the current Upper House is composed of the following:

•   Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, Senate President Pro-Tempore
•   Vicente C. Sotto III, Majority Leader
•   Alan Peter Compañero S. Cayetano, Minority Leader
•   Edgardo J. Angara
•   Joker P. Arroyo
•   Pia S. Cayetano
•   Miriam Defensor Santiago
•   Franklin M. Drilon
•   Francis G. Escudero
•   Teofisto Guingona III
•   Gregorio B. Honasan II
•   Panfilo M. Lacson
•   Manuel M. Lapid
•   Loren B. Legarda
•   Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
•   Sergio R. Osmeña III
•   Francisco Pangilinan
•   Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III
•   Ramon Revilla Jr.
•   Antonio Trillanes
•   Ralph Recto
•   Manuel Villar

The Prosecution Panel

Being the sole prosecutor at the trial in the Senate, the House of Representatives has formed an 11-member panel led by Iloilo Rep. Niel C. Tupas Jr., Chairperson of the Committee on Justice. The other members:

•  Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Aggabas, Chairperson, Committee on Revision of Laws.
•  Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas, Deputy Majority Leader; Vice Chairperson, Committee on Justice
•  Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Chairperson, Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms
•  Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, Vice Chairperson, Committee on Suffrage and
• Electoral Reforms
•  Akbayan party-list Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, Vice Chairperson, Committee on Agrarian Reform
•  Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, Deputy Speaker
•  Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, Chairperson, Committee on Appropriations
•  Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Vice Chairperson, Committees on Justice, Way and Means, and Good Government and Public Accountability
•  Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, Vice Chairperson, Committees on Ways and Means, Public Works and Highways, and Legislative Franchises
•  CIBAC Party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, Assistant Majority Leader

Private prosecution counsels are allowed but will be under the supervision of the House Panel of Prosecutors. Atty. Mario Bautista, managing partner of Poblador Bautista & Reyes law firm who was also one of the prosecutors in the Estrada impeachment trial, is the lead private prosecutor.

The 11 congressmen have been assigned the following Articles of Impeachment:

The Defense Panel

Retired Supreme Court Justice and former Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas is Corona’s lead counsel. The15-member defense team also includes:

• Former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Dean Jose M. Roy III
• Former Justice Undersecretary Ramon S. Esguerra
• Former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay Dean Tranquil S. Salvador III
• Prof. Jacinto D. Jimenez
• Atty. German Q. Lichauco II
• Atty. Dennis P. Manalo
• Atty.  Karen Jimeno

Lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. and former Court of Appeals Justice Hector Hofilena earlier resigned as the Chief Justice’s counsels.

Picture Credit:
It's More Fun in the Philippine Senate Image from http://technogra.ph/2012/01/18/pacquiao-gets-the-magic-treatment-and-our-wacky-senate/.