Record of the Senate - Integrated Bar of the Philippines

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 69Mr. Roy. Your Honor....The Presiding Officer. Why do we not hear....Representative Tupas. COA, from the Commission on Audit, Lavila, a certain Lavila. FromAteneo, seller of Cubao property, a certain Encina and Attorney Pineda, the Clerk of Court, RTCMakati. They are all subpoenaed already, Your Honor. For the Prosecution, we would like tocontinue tomorrow.The Presiding Officer. All right. Wait a minute....Mr. Roy. Your Honor, the relative importance of these witnesses pale in comparison to theurgency....The Presiding Officer. Yes, but you will still have to present them....Mr. Roy. We may not even bother to do....The Presiding Officer. Wait a minute. Let me finish.Mr. Roy. Yes, Your Honor.Representative Tupas. If....The Presiding Officer. Let me finish first. You have a panel of defense. There are severallawyers in your panel. My God, cannot one-half of you attend to the preparation of the subpoena thatyou are asking and interview of the witnesses that you want to present, so that we can use up the....I agree with the proposal of the Prosecution.Mr. Roy. May I respond, Mr. President?The Presiding Officer. Yes.Mr. Roy. Mr. President, we may not even need to present the other witnesses. We feel that wecan dispense with them if we be given a chance to assess our position again. In view of the sentimentsexpressed yesterday....The Presiding Officer. When are you going to present the.... Are you going to present theSecretary of Justice?Mr. Roy. Actually, we may not even have to do that.The Presiding Officer. Then, why not make a decision, so that we can forego that?Mr. Roy. We need to have a little time, Mr. President. Yesterday’s event rushed us into a needto bring this matter forward regarding the US$10 million, the issue of the US$10 million. So, we arejust requesting for the kind indulgence of the Court. After all, we are very willing to confront all theissues now. If it is just a matter of the remaining witnesses, Your Honor, I believe that this is moreimportant....The Presiding Officer. All right, 48 hours continuance is granted. And we will lengthen theperiod of the trial next week.Mr. Roy. Thank you very much, Mr. President.Senator Sotto. Mr. President, before I move to adjourn, I ask that we recognizeSen. Franklin M. Drilon.