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
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