ABS-CBNNews.com reports that former senator Francisco "Kit" Tatad cited the difference between the impeachment trials of former president Joseph Estrada in 2011 and the present trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. He explained: "The interest in the Estrada impeachment trial was unflagging. Sustained. Dito nakikita mo, gumuguho na, nawawala na (Here, you see that the public is losing interest). The galleries are now empty. I wonder how much longer prime TV could carry it without losing its audience. Siyempre, hindi mo pwede itapat sa Budoy ito (You can’t pit this against Budoy)."
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Budoy is an ABS-CBN primetime soap starring Gerald Anderson.
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The report went on to quote Tatad, who pointed out that unlike in the Estrada impeachment trial, the prosecution and defense panels in the Corona trial are "not evenly matched." He recalled, "In the Estrada impeachment trial, the question of galing and competence of the prosecution never arose. Joker Arroyo was head of the prosecution. Ang galing-galing niya (He was very good). Congressman Raul Daza [was] on the other side [with] [Estelito] Mendoza. It was evenly matched."
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With the Corona impeachment trial, Tatad noted that "many are criticizing the prosecutors in the Corona trial for not being as experienced as the defense panel." He added: "Kaya sinasabi dapat si Mercy Gutierrez hindi nag-resign. Kung ganito lang kagaling ang prosecution baka nandiyan pa siya (That’s why there are those who are saying that Mereditas Gutierrez shouldn’t have resigned. If this is as good as the prosecution team gets, then she would still be here)."
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Tatad called Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, 87, and defense lawyer Serafin Cuevas, 83, as the "rock stars" of the trial. Meanwhile, many netizens seem to think that the "queen of the impeachment scene" is Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, what with her straight-for-the-gut diatribes.
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