MANILA, Philippines (May 24, 2012) - Lead defense counsel and former Justice Serafin Cuevas issued an assurance today that Chief Justice Renato Corona will attend the impeachment hearing on Friday in compliance with the deadline set by the Senate impeachment court.
The Senate impeachment court gave Corona until 2 p.m. Friday to return to the witness stand for the direct and cross examinations by the defense and prosecution panels.
Cuevas said that in his second visit to Corona at the Medical City in Pasig City today, he was able to convince the chief magistrate to attend the proceedings.
The veteran lawyer and former Supreme Court associate justice said that Corona is now in a stable condition, but is "still very weak." He said the chief justice would have to be accompanied by doctors at the Senate.
Right after his controversial three-hour testimony before the impeachment court on Tuesday afternoon, Corona walked out of the Senate session hall and attempted to leave the legislative building.
He later turned up on a wheelchair with his lawyers and family claiming that he had to abruptly leave the session hall to avoid throwing up and collapsing on the Senate floor.
His lawyers said Corona suffered from hypoglycemia. He was later rushed to Medical City and confined at the intensive care unit as his doctors suspect that he suffered from a heart attack.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday set the oral arguments on Monday next week.
Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said that the impeachment court's verdict on the impeachment case of the chief justice may already be carried out right after the oral arguments or the next day, Tuesday. (From Philstar.com)