DON'T BE SWAYED BY SPINS
MANILA, JANUARY
16,
2012 (TRIBUNE) By Angie M. Rosales -
President Aquino and Senate jurors were unanimous in asking the public to keep a
close tab on the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona but for
entirely different objectives with Aquino and his Palace aides saying that the
proceedings will help Filipinos "create their own opinions" while Senate
Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III asked the public not to be swayed by
allegations made outside the court which he said could be coming from spin
doctors from either side.
"Let's all listen, let's be vigilant and create our own opinions," Aquino's
spokesman Abigail Valte called on the public.
Unless the charges against Corona are formally entered into the
records of the impeachment court, these issues will not hold water, Sotto
said, however.
"What happens outside of the impeachment court is none of my business. What
happens inside the impeachment court and all the information that will be
brought before the impeachment court should be our concern. I will make it our
business and we will make it our business," the senator said on the eve of the
start of the historic trial involving the highest official in the Judiciary, a
first in the country.
"But outside of that, whatever they're doing, we're not supposed to be
affected. We should not air any opinion on it. But once it's presented to the
court, it's only when we can come up with an opinion on the matter," Sotto
added.
Sotto was responding to a query on reports indicating the Palace's
participation in supposedly gathering information now being hurled at Corona.
Sotto (photo) , who will be sitting for the second time as
senator-judge in an impeachment trial, said it would be better for the public
not to prejudge the issues or jump to conclusions at this point in time, adding
that some these could only be but part of works of so-called spin doctors.
"It would be better for the public to follow the proceedings because in the
end, they will be the ones who will benefit from it," he said.
Valte said President Aquino is urging the public to be vigilant over the
goings-on at the Senate as it moves to open the impeachment trial against
Corona.
She said the President himself will be apprised of the proceedings from his
legal and communications team since he has scheduled engagements on Monday.
"It will be business as usual (for the President)," she said.
Aquino, however, had said he plans to adjust his schedules to allow himself
to be glued to the impeachment proceedings that starts from 2 p.m. from Mondays
to Thursdays and which had no definite time limit.
In the same interview, Sotto practically reminded his colleagues not to allow
their respective political affiliations prevail over their decision-making since
they vowed to dispose of their duties with impartiality.
"It cannot be helped but there will always be a political inclination among
lawmakers. As a senator, I think it's okay. But as an impeachment court-judge,
that should not be the case," he said.
"We took an oath, when we convened the impeachment court, that we will be
politically neutral, we will be impartial. We should follow whatever we promised
to be when we took that oath.
"Regardless of whatever you said before that (holding of the impeachment
trial), that's your opinion. But when it comes to the matter of the impeachment
proceedings, we should be impartial. That's why we included that in the rules,"
Sotto said, referring to the guidelines they have set in governing the
impeachment trial.
While the impeachment trial is considered a political exercise even if its in
the nature of a judicial proceedings, senator-judges should not allow themselves
to be dictated upon by their respective parties when the time comes for them to
hand down the judgement of the accused, the senator said.
"If they will insist that political inclination should prevail, then we
should not have taken our oath in the first place. "This is political exercise.
But when you decide and when you listen, you should not be politically inclined
to any person," he emphasized.
Sotto said senator-judges will first meet in caucus to get a consensus on how
to quickly dispose the first batch of conflicting motions filed by prosecution
and defense counsels to enable the impeachment court to proceed with the trial
proper soonest.
Defense lawyers have indicated earlier that Corona may opt to appear at his
trial Monday, but Sotto said the Chief Justice need not be put on the stand as
the political proceedings, unlike regular court trials, do not include an
arraignment where the accused is asked to make a plea of innocence or guilt.
"We will try hard to finish our Monday legislative session by 11 a.m. so we
can hold a caucus to discuss the agenda of the impeachment court which we will
proceed to convene at 2 p.m.," Sotto said.
He added that the trial will begin with a prayer and singing of the national
anthem after which Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, who will preside over the
impeachment proceedings, will make a brief opening statement and then call on
prosecution and defense lawyers to enter their appearances before the court.
Sotto said senator-judges, to ensure a smooth proceeding, will discuss the
pleadings and other motions earlier filed by the contending camps during their
closed-door caucus to minimize delays that may arise from lengthy debates on the
floor which will be covered live by television and radio stations.
The majority leader clarified that the senators-only caucus is not intended
to keep the public out of their deliberation but a means to facilitate the
proceedings.
"There is nothing hidden in the caucus; we will decide the motions by vote
and the court will always act as one."
He added that if the decision of the Senate President, as presiding judge in
the trial, is not in conformity with the other senator-judges, "we will put the
matter to a vote."
Among the first pleadings up for disposition on Monday's trial is the defense
panel's motion for a preliminary hearing on the alleged defects in the procedure
followed in submitting the eight Articles of Impeachment, as well as a motion to
cite House prosecutors in contempt for releasing evidence of Corona's alleged
unexplained wealth outside the impeachment court.
Also up for early resolution are counter motions filed by the House
prosecutors asking the senators to junk the defense motion to dismiss Corona's
case outright.
Sotto explained that under their rules, senator-judges will be given two
minutes each to ask questions to both prosecution and defense to allow other
members of the court to field their questions during the trial which will be
held at 2 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, with Fridays reserved as motion day.
At the same time, Sotto assured that the Senate impeachment court will always
act as one.
"The procedure will always be that the Senate President will rule on the
issues raised before the court. If the Senate President's ruling would not be in
conformity with the members of the Senate, we can move to put it to a vote," he
said.
"We will look one by one at the motions filed but to facilitate things, we
will discuss it in the caucus," Sotto said.
Sotto is referring to the motion of Corona's legal team asking for
preliminary hearing on what they claimed "constitutionally infirm and defective"
verified eight articles of impeachment signed by 188 members of the House of
Representatives.
Corona said it would be impossible for the 188 congressmen to read and study
the contents of the only four copies of the 70-page impeachment complaint in
just one day.
House prosecution panel head Rep. Niel Tupas clarified that they have enough
copies for the congressmen to read and study the eight Articles of Impeachment
complaint. The panel asked the Senate to reject the motion for preliminary
hearing.
The defense panel also filed motion asking the Senate, sitting as impeachment
court, to summon House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and five other congressmen
led by Tupas at the start of the impeachment trial.
The prosecution camp came out with its counter-motion, asking the impeachment
court to summon the entire family of Corona which the prosecutors accused of
amassing 45 properties throughout Corona's nine-term as magistrate.
The prosecutors claimed Corona did not declare the properties in his
statement of assets and liabilities and networth or SALn.
Lawyer Fernando Perito, a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines,
filed a motion asking the senator-judges to cite the House prosecutors for
contempt of court for holding a press conference to show documentary evidence
prior to the impeachment trial.
Sotto said he is hoping to finish the impeachment proceedings before the
Senate takes its Holy Week break on March 23.
"March 23 is our last day and March 24 is the start of our break. They cannot
stop us to adjourn because Holy Week is coming and the House will definitely
oppose if we will not take a break," Sotto said.
According to the legislative calendar of the 15th Congress, the session will
adjourn from March 24 to May 6, then resume from May 7 to June 7 before the
session is adjourned sine die from June 8 to July 22.
Sotto said they would not allow delaying tactics that would drag the trial
until Congress adjourns sine die. "We will not allow those who have negative
agenda to prolong or delay the impeachment proceedings."
He said it would be "advantageous for both camps" and the Filipino people if
they will be able to finish the impeachment trial before March 15.
"This (impeachment) is time-consuming not only for us (in the Senate) but for
all of us," Sotto said.
Impeachment court spokesman Valentina Cruz said the Senate is fully ready for
the impeachment trial, including the physical arrangements of the session hall
where only 170 seats will be offered to the public on the "first come,
first-served" basis.
The security plan is also in place, with additional forces from both the
Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines to maintain peace
and order.
Cruz said a total of 10 television and 15 radio stations have applied to
cover the event.
All the 23 senators already took their oath as senator-judges last Dec. 14
prior to the one-month Christmas break.
Aside from Sotto, the senator-judges include Jinggoy Estrada, Edgardo Angara,
Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, Gregorio Honasan II, Teofisto Guingona
III, Aquilino Pimentel III, Joker Arroyo, Antonio Trillanes IV, Manuel Villar,
Pia Cayetano, Alan Peter Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Francis
Escudero, Sergio Osmeña III, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Panfilo Lacson, Loren
Legarda, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ralph Recto and Senate President Juan Ponce
Enrile, sitting as presiding judge.
Members of the House prosecution panel are: Reps. Niel Tupas, Joseph Emilio
Abaya, Lorenzo Tañada III, Reynaldo Umali and Arlene Bag-ao.
Corona has been accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of
the Constitution and graft and corruption. He himself expressed readiness to
answer all the allegations 'point by point' at the impeachment court.
Corona has been dubbed as "midnight appointee of former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo as he was appointed as SC Chief Justice seven days after the
May 10, 2010 elections.
Not even the SC is exempted from the government's policy on transparency and
accountability, and for that reason Malacañang deemed it proper for the Supreme
Court to make a public disclosure of its spendings.
Valte said the World Bank memorandum questioning the disbursement of funds
meant to reform the judiciary supports the cause of the government, via the
Department of Budget and Management, for "transparency…even if there is a
so-called fiscal autonomy."
Valte added that they have long asked the Supreme Court to disclose its
financial statements and a report on how funds are spent.
She said that the World Bank report would help the government in its bid to
cleanse all three branches of the government with crooks.
Dubbed as the aide memoire, the WB report dated Dec. 28, 2011, said progress
in judicial reforms has been slow ever since Corona assumed the position.
The same report has supposedly uncovered incomplete information in the
disbursement of a $21.9-million loan for the Judicial Reform Support Project. It
tagged the program as "high-risk."
Valte also reiterated the Palace has "nothing personal" against Corona, whose
closeness to former President Arroyo may have earned him the ire of the Aquino
administration.
"That's good. There's nothing personal here. Even President Benigno Aquino
III himself had adopted that position," Valte said.
Valte added that Corona is well aware of the President's position even as she
noted that President Aquino himself conveyed that message to Corona when they
"shook hands" after publicly lambasting him (Corona) at a criminal justice
summit at the Manila Hotel last December.
"At the summit, President Aquino insisted there is nothing personal with his
differences with Corona. That much is clear to Aquino," she said.
Palace allies in the House of Representatives are leading the prosecution in
Corona's impeachment trial. The House of Representatives impeached Corona last
December.
Last Friday, Corona was quoted as saying that he had forgiven his accusers
and that he is ready to face the impeachment trial at the Senate today. Valte
also reiterated the impeachment trial is meant to strengthen the judiciary and
not weaken it, as some Palace critics claim.
"By undergoing this process we are strengthening the judiciary, the
institution, by weeding out people not fit to hold the post in the judiciary,"
she said. Fernan J. Angeles
Pressuring Corona to resign seen to backfire at
critics By Ted Boehnert and Pat C. Santos 01/16/2012 THE TRIBUNE
The call by the House prosecution panel through Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo
for Chief Justice Renato Corona "to take the easy way out and resign" may
backfire or "boomerang" on them, noted election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said.
"(It) could be construed to mean that it is the prosecution that really wants
an 'easy way' by enticing Corona to resign," Macalintal said, so that they would
"avoid a legal confrontation with the defense team of the Chief Justice.
This team, Macalintal said, had been described by the prosecution itself as
composed of "battle-tested lawyers" while saying that "some of us are weekend
warriors (who) are expecting a difficult trial."
"For sure, Corona will not resign. And this he has shown by engaging the
services of these 'battle-tested lawyers' and filing his answer to the
impeachment complaint," Macalintal further said.
Macalintal, meanwhile, clarified that reports stating that Corona asked for a
"pre-trial" had not been validated.
Despite Corona's pronouncement that he will fight his impeachment while
dismissing calls for his resignation, some House allies of President Aquino are
still hoping for a resignation of the Supreme Court head before or during the
historic trial.
This was stated by Deputy Speaker of the House Lorenzo Tañada III during
yesterday's "Balitaan sa Tinapayan" forum, adding that the objective of the
impeachment trial is to remove the subject high ranking official to his post and
to punish him with perpetual disqualification to any public office.
"Resignation is voluntary, he will have to decide on it, if he resigns then
the first objective is met," Tañada said.
Even if he resigns, it will be the Senate who will have to decide whether or
not the impeachment process will continue even without the participation of
Corona, Tañada said.
On the accusation on the alleged properties that Corona had amassed, Tañada
said this can be pursued by filing charges with the Office of the Ombudsman in
the chance that Corona resigns.
Tañada said that no person are allowed to say anything about the trial but
only the prosecution and defense side after both have designated three spokesmen
for the proceedings.
Tañada, during the forum, called on the public to watch and follow the
impeachment proceedinsg which will be aired in the television as this is an
historical event for the country.
When asked on the probability of the impeachment process failing and Corona
will be found not guilty by a majority vote by the Senate, he replied by saying
that they will abide and respect the decision.
Meanwhile, Batangas Rep Hermnilando Mandanas a former Liberal Party stalwart
despite his not signing in the impeachment complaint, said Corona should not
resign and see the impeachment process through to allow the public to know the
truth about the allegations raised against him.
Mandanas disclosed his resentment on the impeachment complaint which was
railroaded by the majority without giving House members time to discuss and read
the context of the complaint.
"This is not an ordinary process of Congress akin to changing the names of a
city street that can be disposed off without reading the documents for it prior
to signing these, we are trying to remove here the head of a head of a co-equal
branch of government," Mandanas said
He said that the conditions for signing the impeachment complaint as what was
said by allies of President Aquino to members of the House was "If you sign you
are an ally of President Aquino and if you don't sign you are against Pnoy,"
which he disagreed with.
For not signing the impeachment complaint Mandanas was removed from his post
as chairman of House committee on ways and means just a day after the voting.
He even lamented that the Liberal Party which controls Congress should at
least have placed value on his long time friendship with Aquino.
Mandanas was originally a member of the party and was a very close friend of
Aquino since 2005.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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rights reserved
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HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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