Chief Justice Renato C. Corona fights back

Chief Justice Renato C. Corona said Wednesday afternoon he will not resign as he pledged to lead the fight for the judiciary’s freedom and democracy under the rule of law. He vowed to fight against the curtailment of democracy and the independence of the judiciary.

In his speech before a large group of court employees, most of them wearing black clothes, Corona denied all the eight Articles of Impeachment filed against him and signed by 188 congressmen and transmitted to the Senate for trial.

“I’m ready to face the trial. The allegations against me are baseless and meant to blackmail me,” said Corona speaking in Filipino, adding that his impeachment is meant to create a “compliant court and was done in haste.”

“Hindi po tayo papayag na lapastanganin at alipustain ang demokrasya at ang Korte Suprema,” Corona said. (We will not allow them to besmirch and demean our democracy and the Supreme Court.)

He said he will lead the fight against any effort to undermine the courts as he rallied judges and court employees to join him in safeguarding the constitutionally mandated independence of the judiciary.

Corona declared that he and the other SC justices will not resign their posts. Earlier, there had been reports that two other justices appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would also be impeached.

Corona said the eight Articles of Impeachment may be classified into two categories – complaints against his personal actuations and charges against his performance of his official functions as Chief Justice.

One of the impeachment complaints stated that Corona has not been filing his statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN).

But Corona said he has been filing his SALN every year with the SC’s clerk of court, a system devised since 1992.

He also said that his wife, Cristina, has been in government service long before he was appointed to the SC in 2002.

The Chief Justice pointed out that under the administration of the incumbent President, a husband and wife and their child have been appointed and are now occupying top positions in government.

He said President Aquino has been lambasting him for being a midnight appointee of former President Arroyo.

But he said his appointment as Chief Justice passed the rigorous process before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) and the issue of midnight appointment had been passed upon by the SC.

If Mr. Aquino had a problem with his appointment as Chief Justice, the President could have challenged it much earlier, he said.

Corona said the issue of midnight appointment is being resurrected merely to undermine the confidence of the people in the judiciary.

And he said how could he refuse to accept the appointment as Chief Justice considering that the post as head of the country’s judiciary is a very noble and honorable position in government.

Thus, he said, the criticisms against him being a midnight appointee are mere efforts to besmirch his reputation and to taint the honor and integrity of the judiciary, particularly the High Court.

The Chief Justice reiterated that all the decisions handed down by the SC were arrived at through voting and his vote was only one of the votes of the 14 other members of the High Court.

“Mayroon po kaming tig-iisang boto, at ito po ay pantay-pantay. Ang aking boto ay kapareho lamang ng boto ng pinakahuling naitalagang mahistrado. Ang pwersa at bisa ng aking pananaw ay kapantay lamang ng pwersa at bisa ng pananaw ng kahit sino mang mahistrado. Pantay-pantay po kaming lahat ditto,” he stressed. (Each of us has only one vote in deciding-making and each vote is equal to each other. My vote is of the same value as the vote of the last appointed magistrate. The force and effect of my opinion is the same as the force and effect of any of the 14 other magistrates. We are all equal in the courts.)

Corona he will face the impeachment trial before the Senate to prove to the Filipino people that the charges against him were baseless.

At one point in his speech, he thanked his wife, Cristina, for supporting him in his fight. He turned to Mrs. Corona and said emotionally: “Mahal na mahal kita.”

Corona also criticized the Aquino administration by pointing out the country’s slow-paced economy, lack of employment opportunities, poverty, and hunger. “Mukhang hindi po niya naiintindihan,” he said. (It appears that he (the President) does not understand.)

“Wala po akong kasalanan sa inyo, Ginoong Pangulo. Wala po akong kasalanan sa taong bayan,” he said. (I did no wrong against you. I did no wrong against the Filipino people.)

He then rallied members of the judiciary and the court employees to fight to preserve the independence of the judiciary.

Court Administrator SC Spokesman Jose Midas P. Marquez clarified that he did not call for a “court holiday” Wednesday.

He said efforts done by those who attended the gathering at the SC’s yard did that on their own.

By SHERYL L. MIGUEL and REY G. PANALIGAN
mb.com.ph

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