[PHOTO - THANKSGIVING MASS AT
THE SC. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle officiates at the
Thanksgiving mass Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 at the Supreme Court where its
Chief Justice, Renato Corona, is facing trial after he was impeached by
the House of Representatives. TETCH TORRES/INQUIRER.net]
MANILA,
DECEMBER 18, 2011 (INQUIRER) By Tetch Torres - Be
responsible for making statements to the public about Chief Justice
Renato Corona in the wake of an impeachment complaint against him, a
spokesman for the Supreme Court said.
Marquez made the statement after Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on
Thursday called Chief Justice Renato Corona a "walking constitutional
violation whose appointment" was the 'Hello Garci' of the judicial
department.
"The President, his spokespersons have said their piece already. I
suggest we should refrain from talking about this issue already,"
Marquez said.
He explained that the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice
have been working closely in the Justice Sector Coordinating Council
regarding improving the conditions of the court and speedy disposition
of justice.
"With these kinds of statements, it will be difficult for both the
Supreme Court and the Department of Justice to work together…We should
be more responsible for issuing statements that can divide us," he
added.
FROM ABS-CBN
De Lima: Corona a 'walking constitutional violation' by Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News
Says all 'Arroyo justices' should be impeached
MANILA
- Justice Secretary Leila De Lima lashed back at Chief Justice Renato
Corona for calling President Benigno Aquino III's constant criticisms
against the judiciary tantamount to a looming dictatorship.
In a statement released to the media today -- a day after Corona's
much talked about speech before magistrates, judges and court personnel
at the high court -- De Lima called the Chief Justice "a walking
constitutional violation."
De Lima stressed that the impeachment of Corona by Mr. Aquino's
allies at the lower House only intends to make him accountable for his
actions, for being one of the "Arroyo justices" who are out to protect
former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
"The Supreme Court and the judiciary do not belong to Corona. Corona
is not the judiciary. Corona may belong to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Some
members of the Court may belong to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. But the
Supreme Court, the institution, the Supreme Court of the people, can
never belong to Corona or to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," De Lima said.
"Impeach all 'Arroyo Justices'"
The justice chief went as far as saying all "Arroyo justices" should be impeached and replaced by new appointees.
"[W]hen the Arroyo justices start thinking that in protecting Arroyo,
they are shorn of any accountability, not even by impeachment, then it
is time the people, through their representatives in Congress, impeach
them. It is time the president and Congress reclaim the Court for the
people," she said.
De Lima hit Corona for saying in his speech that Mr. Aquino wanted
his immediate ouster so the incumbent chief executive could appoint a
Chief Justice he could "hold by the neck" who shall cater to all his
wishes.
"What he (Corona) did not say is that by being appointed Chief
Justice by Arroyo despite the constitutional prohibition on midnight
appointments, it was his own neck that was held by Arroyo. More than
President Aquino appointing a Chief Justice he holds by the neck, which
he never got to do, it is Arroyo who appointed the Chief Justice,
Corona, so that she can hold him by the neck long after her term was
over," De Lima said.
"For this is the very essence of a midnight appointment, to hold the
midnight appointee by the neck, the outgoing president making a tail-end
appointment to assure her power in government long after her term is
over," she added.
'Hello Garci' of the judicial department
De Lima, who refused to heed a temporary restraining order (TRO)
issued by the high tribunal on the travel ban against Mrs. Arroyo prior
to the filing of any case against the latter in a court of law, likened
the chief magistrate's appointment to the 2004 'Hello Garci' election
controversy.
This, in spite of a Supreme Court ruling that held the high tribunal is except from the midnight ban.
"As Arroyo was the beneficiary of 'Hello Garci,' Corona was the
beneficiary of a constitutional violation. From the moment of his
appointment, Chief Justice Corona was a walking constitutional
violation. His appointment was the 'Hello Garci' of the judicial
department," De Lima said.
"A midnight appointee held by the neck by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
Corona should be as he was rightly impeached for the simple reason that,
like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, he is nothing more than a usurper to a
public office. Corona, in his own twisted view of reality, may call the
president a dictator, but he can never question Aquino's mandate as the
duly elected president of the people.
"Unlike the president, all that Corona can show for himself is the
illegal and unconstitutional appointment as a usurper to the Office of
the Chief Justice by the other usurper Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. And as
history shows, usurpers make the worst tyrants, because of their false
sense of entitlement to something that was never theirs from the start,"
De Lima said.
Corona: administration's motive is to make the SC compliant
In his speech before thousands of supporters on Wednesday, Corona
said that while he respected the constitutionally guaranteed process of
impeachment, he did not agree with the abuse of power and authority and
disregard for the rule of law that came along with the filing of the
verified complaint against him.
"[A]ng hindi natin kinikilala ay ang pag-abuso ng kapangyarihan at
proseso para samantalahin ang lahat ng paraan, makapagtalaga lamang sila
ng sarili nilang mga mahistrado sa Korte Suprema. Itong impeachment ay
dala ng kasakiman na magkaroon ng isang Korte Suprema na kayang
diktahan, na nakukuha sa tingin, at magkakandarapang ipatupad ang
kanilang bawat hiling," he said.
In his speech, the chief justice, supported by magistrates of the
high tribunal, Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals (CA), Court of Tax
Appeals(CTA), and lower courts, said this was the real motive in moves
to oust him from office.
Corona maintained that as a candidate for the highest post in the
Judiciary, he went through the rigid selection process spearheaded by
the Judicial and Bar Council(JBC) headed by then Chief Justice Reynato
Puno.
"Matagal na po itong pinagpasyahan ng Korte Suprema. Matagal nang
tapos ito. Kung may reklamo man sila sa hatol ng Korte Suprema, sana ay
noon pa, ipinaglaban na nila... Hindi ko po maintindihan kung bakit
nanggigigil ng husto sa akin ang mahal nating pangulo, magmula pa po sa
kanyang pagkaluklok sa pwesto.
"Paano po naman naging kasalanan ang pagtanggap ng isang dakilang
karangalan tulad nito? Ito ay isa lamang pong paninira ng aking
katapatan sa katungkulan, kasama na po ang puri at dangal ng Kataas
taasang Hukuman," Corona said.
Respect due process, the rule of law
He also denied allegations he is out to protect Mrs. Arroyo.
Addressing the issuance of a TRO by the high tribunal in favor of the
former chief executive, Corona said: "Kahit sinumang abogado ay
magsasabi sa inyo na hindi po pwedeng yapak- yapakan ang karapatan ng
sinuman sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas, habang hindi mo pa napapatunayan na
siya ay nagkasala. May mandato ang korte na ipagtanggol higit sa lahat
ang karapatang pang-tao ng indibidwal kontra sa labis-labis na
kapangyarihan ng pamahalaan, lalong-lalo pa kung wala pang naisasampang
kaso."
"Matagal na itong prinsipio at hindi na kailangang idebate. Ito ang
tinatawag na presumption of innocence and respect for human rights," he
added.
The Chief Justice called on the public to be one with the Judiciary
in safeguarding democracy and the rule of law, and not be deceived by
"lies" peddled against the Supreme Court and the judicial department. He
stressed the independence of the Judiciary and pledged continuing
allegiance to the Constitution.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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