TERM-SHARING DEAL W/ CARPIO
MANILA, FEBRUARY 7, 2012
(MANILA TIMES) Written by : Jomar Canlas, Reporter - MEMBERS of
the Liberal Party, the political group of President Benigno Aquino 3rd,
reportedly prodded Chief Justice Renato Corona to accept a term-sharing deal
with Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio so that the latter would
also get to sit as chief magistrate, an unimpeachable source told The Manila
Times on Monday.
Sen. Teofisto Guingona 3rd allegedly brokered the deal, and it was he
who urged the Chief Justice to accept the offer. When Corona turned it down,
allies of President Aquino in Congress aggressively moved to impeach the Chief
Justice, the source added.
A day before the impeachment trial started at the Senate, Corona lambasted
the President, Carpio and Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas 2nd for
conspiring to have him ousted from his post. According to the source, Guingona
attempted to pressure Corona to step down.
"A term-sharing formula was proposed where Corona will step down mid-way of
his term to allow President Aquino to appoint Carpio as his successor," the
source revealed.
Corona's term as Chief justice ends on October 15, 2018. Carpio will retire
on October 26, 2019.
The source claimed that a judicial coup was launched to wrest control of the
leadership of the judiciary in November last year.
He said that it was Guingona who "formulated" the term-sharing deal between
Corona and Carpio sometime in November 2011.
"The proposed term-sharing agreement relayed by [Guingona] to the Chief
Justice is a power grab, plain and simple, because it was not sanctioned by any
rules and laws of succession," the source said. What made matters worse, he
added, was that a politician like Guingona was involved.
[PHOTO - JUSTICE CARPIO]
"Obviously, [Guingona] was acting on behalf of the President and Carpio," he
added.
Drilon too The source claimed too that Sen. Franklin Drilon also sent an
emissary to Corona to pressure him to resign.
Drilon is the vice chairman of the Liberal Party.
"Drilon, through an emissary, asked Chief Justice Corona to resign to avoid
being humiliated, along with his family, in the impeachment proceedings," the
source added.
Corona reportedly rejected the power-sharing agreement or resignation
because, if he agrees, it would mean the subjugation of the judiciary by
Malacañang.
Sponsored by Palace The source said that President Aquino started the attacks
against Corona when he rejected the power-sharing deal.
"When Corona rejected the power-sharing agreement, Malacañang unleashed its
scathing attacks on the chief magistrate and mobilized its factotums in Congress
to ram through the impeachment of Corona, in a 'shock and awe' fashion, hoping
to compel him to give up the most coveted post in the judiciary without
undergoing impeachment trial, just like what Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez
did," the source said.
Carpio is reportedly very close to the Guingona family, particularly with the
former Vice President, Teofisto Guingona Jr.
Guingona Jr. served as Justice secretary during the Ramos administration,
while Carpio was former President Fidel Ramos' chief legal counsel.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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