When Can Evidence be Made Public?

Aren’t Income Tax Returns supposed to be sacrosanct?

How did documents being presented in the Impeachment Trial reach the media even before they were formally offered as evidence?

Is it a public trial in a peoples’ court, or is it going the way of trial by publicity?

Senator-judges tackled these very questions even before Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares could continue with her testimony on the income declarations of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife.

Senator-Judge Joker Arroyo first raised the issue of sanctity and inviolability of income tax returns when he asked Henares where she got the authority to present the ITRs.

Senator-Judge Pia Cayetano then raised the issue of documents being leaked out to media even while they were being marked and not yet offered as evidence in court.

Lead Prosecution Counsel Neil Tupas told the impeachment court that they are not leaking any evidence to the media. The Defense panel likewise said they are not responsible for any ‘leaks’.

Senate Presiding Judge Juan Ponce Enrile cautioned both panels that while the exercise is open to the public via live television, they must be careful about letting media get hold of and subsequently strut any evidence or discuss the merits of the case while the trial is in progress.