Archive for the Commentary Category

Roperos: ‘Lost’ politics

Posted by on June 8, 2012 at 02:05 am

FOR a moment there, I thought that our people have lost interest in local politics as their attention was drawn to the circumstances that resulted from the Corona impeachment trial. It appeared that the masses were dazzled by the new attitude and respect for our laws that were aroused and generated by the process.

But then, as politics began to recover its lost ground, so we bring to the national consciousness the fact that there are some people, including Gov. Gwen Garcia, who has interest to promote as possible candidate for the Senate. (Read more)

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Seares: They may be right, Miriam maybe crazy

Posted by on June 7, 2012 at 02:06 am

A PETITION filed with International Criminal Court (ICC) accuses Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago of being unfit to join the 18-judge tribunal handling cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

The group US Pinoys for Good Government questions Miriam’s “integrity, soundness of mind, and emotional and psychological stability.” (Read More)

Filed Under: Commentary

Speak Out: Corona’s verdict serves justice?

Posted by on June 6, 2012 at 02:09 am

WILL the conviction fix the weak justice system of our country?

The impeachment case of former Chief Justice Renato Corona which was concluded last Tuesday arose various reactions and emotions against and in favor to the convicted official. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Editorial: Next Cebuano CJ and more

Posted by on June 6, 2012 at 02:08 am

THE recent conviction of Renato Corona by the Senate acting as impeachment court has exposed, for us, one interesting point: the dearth of Cebuano names recognizable enough at the national level to be mentioned as chief justice material.

Considering that Cebu has already produced in recent history two Supreme Court chief justices in Marcelo Fernan and Hilario Davide Jr., this can also be considered a gloomy point. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Seares: After Corona: the CJ PNoy would not hire

Posted by on June 4, 2012 at 02:21 am

WITH the initial hint from President Aquino he’d appoint an independent chief justice, maybe a Supreme Court (SC) outsider, there’s little for speculators to work on.

But it wouldn’t be reckless to assume the next Renato Corona wouldn’t be:
–Anyone resembling Renato Corona, who looks, talks, and walks like him, not one who hoards dollars, or has a 30-year feud with his wife’s family; (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Cabaero: Rush for bank waivers

Posted by on June 4, 2012 at 02:12 am

THERE appears to be a rush to require government officials to sign bank waivers to allow public scrutiny of their financial worth.

Those to be considered for the post of Supreme Court Chief Justice will have to sign such waivers, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said. Lawyer Milagros Cayosa, representative of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to the JBC, said the waiver would be for purposes of evaluation by the council. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Mercado: Did P-Noy’s Visit to INC Decide Corona’s Fate?

Posted by on June 3, 2012 at 02:25 am

TEN days before the Impeachment Court’s promulgation of verdict on CJ Corona, Malacañang was not certain if the Prosecution could muster 16 votes from the senator-judges needed for conviction.

The most number that the Palace can get from the 23 jurors was 11, with nine (9) uncertain as to their judgment. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Mongaya: Checkmate

Posted by on June 3, 2012 at 02:23 am

GUILTY means the Senate is beholden to Malacañang. Not guilty means the Senate is independent. This was how the politically-wired mind of former senator Ernie Maceda framed the Senate impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona last January.

I was at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport terminal together with some members of the Cebu media during a Sinulog-related event when suddenly Maceda emerged from the throng of tourists at the international arrival area. Ambushed by reporters present, the former senator pointed out that the administration of President Noynoy Aquino had no numbers to convict. It was easier for the Corona camp to get eight senators for acquittal. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Lim: Post-mortem

Posted by on June 2, 2012 at 02:29 am

RENATO Corona has been impeached. The truth has triumphed. The nation has won. Finally. And it was neither the brilliance of the prosecution nor the ineptitude of the defense that brought about the chief justice’s conviction. Predictably, it was Corona’s galling arrogance that brought about his own downfall.

The defense panel admittedly committed a fatal flaw in summoning Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to the stand as hostile witness but beyond the Ombudsman’s damning testimony, the chief justice tied the noose around his neck all by himself. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Cabaero: Technology’s role in impeachment

Posted by on June 2, 2012 at 02:27 am

ONE aspect of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial was the widespread use of technology innovations that kept Filipinos here and abroad updated.

Those in meetings, commuting or out of the country found ways to watch those crucial trial moments on Corona’s testimony and the court’s verdict. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Sun.Star Essay: Milestone show

Posted by on June 2, 2012 at 02:26 am

I BELIEVE it is our duty to resolve this ‘dilemma’ in favor of upholding the law and sound public policy,” said Senator-judge Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. Enrile announced Corona guilty in a count of 20 senator-judges voting against 3.

While it lasted, the session of the impeachment trial was in everybody’s life for months, day in, day out. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Editorial: Guilty

Posted by on May 30, 2012 at 06:57 am

MAY 29 now holds an exceptional place in history books as it is the day that a government official was convicted by an impeachment court.

The long and demanding Corona Trial that has made a bench seat in the international scene has finally come to a burly ruling. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Barrita: Corona permanently ‘excused’

Posted by on May 30, 2012 at 06:55 am

CHIEF Justice Renato Corona ended his opening statement before the Senate impeachment court by saying, “And now the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines wishes to be excused.”

He stood up and left the court without being discharged as a witness but was prevented from leaving the Senate. (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

Nalzaro: Corona found guilty; who’s next?

Posted by on May 30, 2012 at 06:55 am

BY A VOTE of 20 to 3, the Senate sitting as impeachment court found Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution for his failure to declare all his assets in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). Only one conviction is needed in any of the three Articles of Impeachment deliberated upon by the impeachment court.

The senators went on nominal voting and each of them was given a few minutes to explain his or her vote. Those who found Corona guilty of violating Section 17, Article II of the 1987 Constitution for not declaring all his assets in his SALN were the following: (Read more)

Filed Under: Commentary

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Prosecution press conference after the guilty verdict on Chief Justice Renato Corona on Tuesday, May 29, 2012.

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How the Senator-Judges voted on Article II (Concealing of some of his properties and cash deposits in his SALN
Senators Vote
Edgardo J. Angara
Edgardo J. Angara

GUILTY

"I may grant the CJ plea of honest mistake of judgment but given his broad experience in public law…this willful and deliberate admission together with magnitude of amounts involved amounts to culpable violation."

Joker P. Arroyo
Joker P. Arroyo

NOT GUILTY

"Impeachment is a political process not a political assassination"

Alan Peter Compañero S. Cayetano
Alan Peter S. Cayetano

GUILTY

"If your client cannot explain, I cannot abstain."
If you did not disclose, we have to depose. If you are not fit, you cannot sit.


Pia S. Cayetano
Pia S. Cayetano

GUILTY

"Minor inaccuracies in the SALN...would not amount to betrayal of public trust. But, the failure to declare 2.4 million dollars and some P80 Million pesos is not minor...Once that trust is gone, we must step down to preserve the integrity of the position we hold."

Miriam Defensor Santiago
Miriam Defensor Santiago

NOT GUILTY

"An omission in good faith in the SALN carries a light penalty, and is even allowed to be corrected.  Thus, it is not impeachable...I find it reprehensible that the AMLA document was introduced in evidence, without authentication, as required by the Rules of Evidence."

Franklin M. Drilon
Franklin M. Drilon

GUILTY

"Where our Constitution and our laws require disclosure, he chose the path of concealment. He has lost his moral fitness to serve the people. He has betrayed the public trust. He cannot be Chief Justice a minute longer. "

Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Ponce Enrile

GUILTY

"With all due respect, I believe that the Respondent Chief Justice's reliance on the absolute confidentiality accorded to foreign currency deposits under Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6426 is grossly misplaced."

Francis 'Chiz' Escudero
Francis G. Escudero

GUILTY

"Ang pinagbabawalan ng FCDU law na mag-release ng impormasyon ukol sa dollar deposits ay ang mga bangko at di ang depositor. Samantala, ang Konstitusyon at R.A. 6713, pinag-uutos na ideklara ng lahat ng opisyal ng pamahalaan ang lahat ng kanilang yaman at pagkakautang. Kung ayaw mo ito ideklara, eh di huwag kang tumakbo para sa, o tumanggap ng anumang, pwesto sa pamahalaan. "

Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
Jinggoy Estrada

GUILTY

"I regret to say that I am not convinced. Because the Chief Justice is a learned man of law. He is in fact, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court - isang opisyal na hindi lamang malalim ang kaalaman sa batas, kundi isang opisyal na may tungkuling basahin kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mga batas."

Teofisto 'TG' Guingona III
Teofisto Guingona III

GUILTY

"We must protect sanctity of Constitution. Corona's non-disclosure of assets is constitutional perversion in its ultimate form."

Gregorio 'Gringo' Honasan
Gregorio B. Honasan II

GUILTY

"We have not proven if the defendant is corrupt. What is clear is that he is no longer fit to preside over the SC."

Panfilo M. Lacson
Panfilo M. Lacson

GUILTY

"Chief Justice Renato Corona used to work as a senior officer of the tax and corporate counseling group of the tax division of a prominent accounting firm, Sycip Gorres and Velayo and Company. He also taught commercial law, taxation and corporate law at the Ateneo de Manila University for 17 years. I find it hard to believe his testimony that he does not understand accounting."

Manuel 'Lito' M. Lapid
Manuel M. Lapid

GUILTY

"Akala ko totooo ang sinabi niya hindi pala. Pinapaniwalaan ko pa si Congressman Fariñas."

Loren Legarda
Loren B. Legarda

GUILTY

"Truthful SALN disclosure is key element of transparent governance..Public trust is earned through transparent, often voluntary, gestures of honesty by officials in question."

Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

NOT GUILTY

"The Chief Justice sufficiently addressed the accusations against him with regard to the filing of his SALN, and the disclosure of his real properties and peso and dollar deposits."

Sergio R. Osmeña III
Sergio R. Osmeña III

GUILTY

"There is more reason to apply the law when the assets in question amount to P180 million...Nowhere in that FCDU law not allow depositors from disclosing their deposits."

Kiko Pangilinan
Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan

GUILTY

"As a lawyer and an officer of the court, it pains and saddens me to say that clearly the Chief Justice displayed a disturbing pattern of dishonesty, willful concealment, and evasion and a blatant and wanton disregard of the provisions of the Constitution on the SALN...Respect for the rule of law will only be realized if punishment is swift in a fair trial."

Aquilino Martin
Aquilino“Koko” Pimentel III

GUILTY

"There is evidence on record that shows respondent Corona didn't declare in his SALNs his properties. Arguments of respondent do not persuade this senator-judge."

Ralph G. Recto
Ralph G. Recto

GUILTY

"The undeclared assets are so huge that it cannot be pressed aside as innocent exclusion"

Ramon 'Bong' <br />  						Revilla, Jr
Ramon Revilla, Jr.

GUILTY

"Through his own direct admission, the Chief Justice failed to properly disclose all his assets in SALN"

Vicente C. Sotto III
Vicente C. Sotto III

GUILTY

" True judgment must come from the people"

 

Antonio F. Trillanes IV
Antonio F.  Trillanes IV

GUILTY

"The claim of commingled funds and confidentiality of dollar deposits will never be accepted as alibis. From now on, no one's untouchable. "

Manny Villar
Manny Villar

GUILTY

"Nahirapan man ako sa aming desisyon, paniwala ko kailangan talaga ideklara and dollar accounts."