Historic Moment in the Continuing Quest for Truth, Justice and Genuine Democracy

May 30,2012 

More than two-thirds (2/3) of the senators have convicted Renato C. Corona. He is now to be removed from the post as chief justice and be permanently barred from holding any public office or position. 

The present House of Representatives and Senate have done their sole duty and authority to initiate impeachment and to try and decide on impeachment complaints against an impeachable official. This one against Corona is the first-ever impeachment process that reached conclusion. 

The judgement, which is indeed momentous and have wide and far-reaching implications, was not only expected but was demanded by the people even before the House of Representatives initiated the impeachment of Corona. 

This small and partial victory of removing Corona from the post, which was arrogated for him by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and which he assumed, is still to be pursued into its finality. Until Corona and his ilk comply and submit to the Senate’s decision, this episode is not closed. 

We should remain vigilant. The actuations and latest statements of Corona and his lead counsel are doubtful and suspicious. Corona has said that he accepts the verdict “if it would be for good of the people”. But before accepting the verdict, Corona first denounced the impeachment process as having been dominated by political manoeuvrings and re-asserted that his conviction is product of a conspiracy. 

His acceptance of the verdict is doubtful and betrays ill intentions. He has earlier filed a petition before the Supreme Court to stop the impeachment process. His walk-out last May 22 also proclaimed that he does not recognize the impeachment court and actually wanted to lord over it. His lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas has also declared before the verdict was handed down that should Corona is convicted they would protest the verdict before the Supreme Court. 

Corona’s pending petition and the expressed plan of filing a new complaint before the Supreme Court are designed to hostage not only the Senate’s verdict but the principle of “check and balance”. Should they pursue this and should the SC act on it could lead to a constitutional crisis. 

The removal of Corona from the highest post in the Judiciary is now demanded by the people to proceed to major and fundamental reforms of the judicial system. 

The Aquino administration is urgently called for to fulfil its promise to bring to closure all the pending charges against GMA and her ilk. The more urgent ones include the human rights violations particularly the numerous extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and cases of illegal arrest and detention; the fraudulent 2004 and 2007 elections; the ZTE deal, Fertilizer Scam, etc. 

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” 

The ouster of Corona from a stolen post maybe the end of an episode but is also the beginning of a new chapter of more arduous struggle for truth, justice, freedom and democracy that would require heightened vigilance of the people. For the people, the most important lesson in the impeachment trial is vigilance and resoluteness for a just cause. 

The twenty senators who voted for Corona’s conviction may be commended but they may not claim victory for the people because they have to prove more as being their “representatives”. Although the senators may 

have acted and spoken in political grandstanding ways they have said a lot that have meaning to the people. 

But the people should not be misled by words of promises and place their hopes at the hands of leaders who do not genuinely represent their interests. Instead, the people should follow-through their other major and basic demands. That all public officials be accountable to the people by declaring the true state of their assets, liabilities and net worth is just one among the demands of the people to check graft and corruption. Public officials would all fail if they would be measured with the liabilities and promises they owe the people. 

One senator has expressed their other liabilities to the people: “impeaching poverty and hunger, unemployment, etc.” But he failed to air the need to repeal laws that are causing and exacerbating these symptoms of crisis. Among others the most urgent ones are Oil Deregulation Law, Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), Mining Act, the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement. A Marcos legacy that is the Foreign Currency Deposit Act belong to this ranking. 

President Noynoy Aquino is particularly being called to prove that his Matuwid na Daan is meaningful to the people. Other than arresting GMA and Abalos and ousting Corona his campaign against graft and corruption must redound to real and concrete benefits of the people that would pave the way towards fundamental economic, political and social reforms. 

The people’s historical and continuing struggle for truth, justice and democracy will certainly proceed from this one episode. It is for the people to decide the next chapters not only through the coming elections but in pursuing their struggle relentlessly. 

##### 

CJ IMPEACHMENT TRIAL: UNVEILING OF HOW THE ELITE DISPENSES JUSTICE

The executive, legislative, and the judiciary are the major branches of elitist rule in the country. They operate within the framework of maintaining such rule over the Filipino people.

Existing factions of the ruling class hold elections as part of the “constitutional process” - how to share among themselves the reins and spoils of political power stamped with the people’s imprimatur. They also have the impeachment again as a “constitutional process” - how to “discipline” erring members of the ruling class and their representatives for abuse of  exercise of such power.

The zeal and fervor of the present regime in going after CJ Corona, ex-COMELEC Commissioner Abalos, and the former President Arroyo spring from the fact that these accused  have almost destroyed the workings of the three pillars of the government with the potent combination of electoral sabotage, corruption, abuse of power, and  impunity. Perceived enemies of the state were either jailed or killed.

The nine years regime of Arroyo made a mess out of the “legitimacy” of the elite as well as the operation of the whole system. Using his popularity, PNOY has to fix this so as to not to isolate further the government from the people. Thus, it came as no surprise that judicial reform is one of the main agenda of the US government for PNOY.

The so-called “wheelchair approach” of practically all the accused, cannot be solely blamed on them. With all callousness, all of them wanted to illicit pity from the people they have oppressed.  The kid-gloves handling of the present government makes it a current fixture on our political landscape.  They have the best hospital doctors and facilities.  It is their right because they are part if not representatives of the ruling class.  Their rights should always be respected.

In contrast, what about the 871 deaths of ordinary inmates since 2010 from cardiopulmonary arrest and pulmonary tuberculosis while behind bars? What about the inmates sleeping on floors and corridors because

the jails operate at an average of 400 percent over their designated capacity.  They have no rights because they are non-entities and simple numbers.

CJ Corona’s performance last Tuesday, May 22, 2012 was without equal.  He was allowed to make an opening statement for three hours without questions coming from the prosecution and the senator-judges. He was never censured for his harsh and gutter-like language.  As one reporter said, he had conducted a press conference inside the session of the impeachment court. His walkout has rendered the impeachment court speechless.  Senators who had the nasty habit of battering lesser mortals in the witness stand have suddenly become inflicted with acute sore throats that no voice managed to come out from their mouths.  Enrile’s order of closing the gates of the Senate saved the day for them.  CJ Corona was forced to come back in the session hall.  Sulking in a wheelchair, the chief magistrate of the land looked like a disheveled god with a shattered ego.

CJ Corona’s apology last Friday, May 25, 2012 on his attempted walkout was unanimously accepted because of health reason. As a Senate that stuffed the public consciousness with materiality and relevance of facts and the pursuit of truth, it softly challenged CJ Corona’s premeditated walk-out. This was in sharp contrast with the Senate censuring of Atty. Aguirre that clasped his hands to his ears to signify his protest over Santiago’s berating tirades against the prosecution.  The attempted walkout was an affront against the whole Senate yet it was simply erased because of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.

What a zarzuela! Among the ruling class, an illness can be a passport for condoning misdemeanors much less crime.

CJ Corona has run the whole judiciary as his personal fiefdom (read Integrity of the judicial system) – insulating Gloria Arroyo as his main patron from further cases, interpreting the law for their own interests and using the court to grab properties from his wife’s relatives.  The rule of law even of the ‘burgis’ was undermined.

Recognizing the fact that impeachment is also a political process, CJ Corona tried to sway public opinion in his favor. Through his loyal stooge, Midas Marquez mobilized the whole judiciary to rally behind their embattled chief magistrate.  Rallies and masses inside the Supreme Court premises were  held and court holidays were declared so that court personnel can join these  mobilizations whose sole purpose is to  accentuate CJ Corona’s  innocence”.

Court personnel forgot their real boss, the sovereign people. How CJ Corona has inflicted the whole judicial system with his character and mindset is truly a remarkable feat for any bureaucrat.  Even the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) has proven to be one CJ Corona’s avid supporter.

These court holidays only serve to further deter the already exceedingly slow wheels of justice. We know for a fact that the backlog of court cases exceeds 600,000. This does not include those who have been incarcerated yet no charges have been filed against them.  CJ Corona has turned the judicial machinery into his fans club rather than a swift dispenser of justice. Never mind, ordinary inmates come from the ranks of the masses.

The impeachment trial is about to wrap up its task and will render its verdict hopefully this week. Let us wait how the ruling class will put their imprimatur on this “constitutional process”.      ####

KILUSAN PARA SA PAMBANSANG DEMOKRASYA         May 28, 2012