Out-and-out STUPIDITY of the Prosecution

“The testimony of a vice president of Megaworld Corp. proved not only how much the prosecution and some senators wanted to link Corona to a supposed illegal transaction ... It also showed that this supposed court of law has no qualms about destroying the reputation of a legitimate business like Megaworld in its desire to do so."

Taken from: Jojo Robles

Yesterday’s trial was scandalous not only because the ineptitude of the House-led prosecution was once again very much in prominent display. Yes, most people who watched the hearing may have noticed the senator-judges (even some of the most palace-oriented ones) gently and not-so-gently telling the prosecutors to confer with their own witnesses before presenting them—and to not impeach them when they testify inadvertently in favor of the defense.

But the ignorance and out-and-out stupidity of the prosecution is an old story in this trial, of course. The more execrable conclusion that many observers reached yesterday is that the prosecution and some pro-palace senator-judges will not hesitate to interfere in the policies, practices and even financial and marketing judgments of private business, just to get Corona convicted.

The testimony of a vice president of Megaworld Corp. proved not only how much the prosecution and some senators wanted to link Corona to a supposed illegal transaction like his purchase of a Taguig condo. It also showed that this supposed court of law has no qualms about destroying the reputation of a legitimate business like Megaworld in its desire to do so.

Why should the Senate, the House panel and the private prosecutors tell businessmen how to run their business by informing them about how much discounts to give, how to value their products and even who to sell to, if it is not these enterprises that are on trial? Why should a business that is not even accused of any wrongdoing (and which is making a profit in these unprofitable times) be forced to explain how it reacts to market forces, its pricing methods and marketing schemes?

The business community must protest this undue interference in its affairs, especially because it is now working under a government that seems to have no clear economic programs and which doesn’t even bother about helping business make a profit, create jobs and grow the economy. And senators like Serge Osmena and Jinggoy Estrada—who displayed how clueless they were about the judgment calls made by successful enterprises like Megaworld—should not use the trial as an opportunity to show just how little business acumen they have.

Special mention must be made, naturally, about the sanity injected into the grilling of the Megaworld executive by construction tycoon Senator Manuel Villar. Villar explained to his benighted colleagues that developers routinely give deep discounts to buyers for a variety of reasons—including the pursuit of market share like the SM Group, which announced 40 percent markdowns to everyone, including to people not in any way connected to the Supreme Court.

Soon enough, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who is also in the real estate development trade, lost his patience with the private prosecutor who wanted to introduce Megaworld’s yearend financial statements to impeach his own witness and dismissed the Megaworld executive. And the attack on business by ignorant lawmakers and lawyers who just want to convict Corona abated, for now.