House members should be allowed to testify: ex-senator

A FORMER senator has asked the Senate impeachment court to allow the testimony of members of the House of Representatives in the presentation of evidence by the defense team of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a letter dated March 14 addressed to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, former senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad asked the impeachment court to consider its ruling denying the request of the defense panel to summon certain congressmen as adverse witnesses who will testify on the circumstances that led to the filing of the complaint in December last year.
Enrile, the impeachment court’s presiding officer, earlier denied the request, citing inter-parliamentary courtesy to the House. He said this was in consonance with a similar ruling turning down the request to subpoena members of the Supreme Court (SC) as witnesses for the prosecution.

But Tatad, formerly the Senate Majority Leader during the Estrada impeachment trial, said the prohibition on the congressmen being asked to testify is “not on all fours with that of the SC justices or the President, for that matter.”

He pointed out that the impeachment process — from initiation to trial — is an exclusive affair of Congress: the House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate all impeachment cases, and the Senate has the sole power to try and decide all such cases.

“No member of Congress is an outsider to this process. Therefore, no parliamentary courtesy is breached, nor is any discourtesy committed, if and when a member of the House is asked to testify in the case, which the House itself has initiated,” he said.

“It would seem invidious, and not many would be able to understand it if a senator, now sitting as juror or judge in the trial, could be called as a witness, but not a member of the House of Representatives. That would seem to extend to the congressmen a right and a privilege not granted to the members of the Senate now sitting as senator-jurors or judges,” he added, citing Rule XVI of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, as adopted by the Senate, which provides: “If a senator is called as a witness, he/she shall be sworn, and give his/her testimony standing in his/her place.”

Last week, the defense started presentation of evidence. Among the witnesses it presented was SC chief judicial staff officer Araceli Bayuga, who testified that Corona received salaries, special allowances and bonuses amounting to at least P22 million from 2002 to 2011.

Bayuga also authenticated documents on the remuneration received by Corona during his tenure. Her testimony was related to Article 2 of the impeachment complaint, which accuses the chief magistrate of failure to disclose certain properties in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

However, House prosecutors accused SC of having “double-standard” for allowing Bayuga to testify for the defense when it barred justices and other court officials from appearing in the trial. Senator-judge Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also questioned whether the SC was being selective in allowing its employees to testify.

SC administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said Bayuga’s testimony is not covered by the court’s February 14 resolution, which prohibits court officers from disclosing judicial privilege on records or minutes of deliberations on pending cases.

“There is no selective standard. Bayuga testified for the defense to explain the salary and allowances of Corona. I don’t think there’s double standard there. One will have to carefully read the resolutions of the court to appreciate the distinctions,” Marquez said in a statement.

Marquez noted that the task of the two court process servers was part of the decision processes of the court on a pending case, and therefore judicial privilege was not rightly waived.

In Bayuga’s case, he said her function had nothing to do with the deliberative processes of the court and therefore is not covered by the prohibition. (JCV/Sunnex)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2012/03/18/house-members-should-be-allowed-testify-ex-senator-211890

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Things to do in Clark Philippines and Pampanga: do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

Residents of Pampanga Angeles City, Subic, Tarlac and Clark Philippines know of this wine shop as one of the best places in Clark, a good night out place and simply the best place to hang out, enjoy some good wine with cheese on the roof deck with good atmosphere, or just relax and unwind with friends and family in a cool place. This wine shop in Clark Pampanga is recognized by many to be one of the best places to buy fine vintage wine in the Philippines. Located near Mimosa Leisure Estate surrounded by golf courses, resorts and a casino, this well known wine shop is frequently visited for its good selection of wine not available in Manila or Subic. Clark Wine Center is open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm. Private dinners, wine tastings and group gatherings can be organized by advanced reservation.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

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http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com