'Culpable violation of the Constitution'
In a vote of 20-3, the impeachment court declared Chief Justice Renato Corona “Guilty” of having committed “culpable violation of the Constitution and/or betrayed the public trust when he failed to disclose to the public his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth as required under Sec. 17, Art. XI of the 1987 Constitution.
'Tinatanggap ko na po ang kalbaryong aming pinagdaanan.'
Under the Rules of Impeachment, there is no appeal. He is thus immediately removed as chief justice
The charge was number two of the Articles of Impeachment. The senate-turned-impeachment court did not find it necessary to vote on the two other charges.
Those who voted “Guilty” were: Edgardo Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Teofisto Guingona III, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson,Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Sergio Osmeña III, Francis Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel III, Ralph Recto,Tito Sotto, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Antonio Trillanes III, Manuel Villar, at Juan Ponce-Enrile.
Those who voted “Not Guilty” were Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.
It was a historic political exercise, the first impeachment trial to have been completed. Other attempts for impeachment were either aborted as in the case of former President Joseph Estrada or didn’t reach the Senate as in the case of former Supreme Court Hilario Davide and former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
The fact that it was completed shows the maturing of democracy in the country. Much of the credit goes to the tight and adept handling of Presiding Judge Juan Ponce-Enrile, who was both compassionate and liberal when situation as when Corona was at the witness stand and firm when the prosecution were bungling the presentation of evidence.
Enrile scored “some parties”, which I presume referred to the Prosecution for its “indiscriminate, illegal machinations” in procuring dubious documents.
He also lamented “underhanded tactics and gimmickry situation” resorted to during the trial.
Both sides cited the Constitution in their arguments.
Those who voted “Guilty” anchored on the provision on the “Accountability of Public Officers.”
They said his non-reporting of his P80 million and $2.4 million deposits. He declared only in his 2010 SALN P3.5 million cash assets.
Those who voted “Not Guilty” cited a provision in the Bill of Rights,Sec. 14 (2), Art. III that states, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved…”
They also argued that even if he made a mistake in his SALN declaration, it was not an impeachable crime.
A number of the senators who “Guilty” cited the case of the court interpreter in the Regional Trial Court in Davao del Norte who was dismissed for failure to include in her SALN that she owned a stall in a public market.
They all said, how can you compel other government employees to abide by the requirements of the SALN if you allow the Chief Magistrate of the land to get away with his non-reporting of his huge bank deposits?
A number of senators also said the trial of Corona raised the bar of public governance and public accountability. Escudero said “Ibig sabihin nito, mula ngayon, pwedeng nang tanggalin sa pwesto ang punong mahistrado pati na rin ang pangulo at ikalawang pangulo at iba pang impeachable officers kapag meron silang di dineklara sa kanilang SALN.”
Unlike other senators, who announced their decision at the end of their explanation, Trillanes went straight to the point:”My verdict is guilty.”
He said, “As to the matter of public policy, it is in the best interest of the country to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona. A conviction signifies that transparency and accountability as principles in governance take precedence over legal technicalities. This effectively takes away any refuge for the corrupt public official. Moreover, the claim of “co-mingled funds” and the confidentiality of dollar deposits will never be accepted as alibis.
“A conviction also signifies that our system of checks and balance is working well and that Impeachment can now be effectively used as a tool of the state to make high government officials accountable for their actions. From now on, No one is untouchable.
“Lastly, a conviction signifies that we have considerably raised the standards for a Chief Justice of our Supreme Court. He must not only possess vast legal knowledge and wisdom necessary to interpret the law according to its spirit and intent. But, more importantly, he must have unquestionable moral integrity and strength of character to render him impervious to corruption and political pressure as he administers justice for our country and people.”
Statement of CJ Corona on guilty verdict
Lubos kong ikinalulungkot ang naging pasiya ng Senate Impeachment Court. Bilang Punong Mahistrado, buong tapang at talino kong hinarap ang hamon ng impeachment at sumailalim ako sa proseso na alinsunod sa Saligang Batas, umaasang makakamit ang hustisyang aking hinanap ng mahigit limang buwan.
Hindi kaila sa akin na gagamitin ng Pangulo ang buong puwersa ng gobyerno, kasama na ang mga ahensiyang dapat sana ay malayang nagpapasiya – ang Kamara, ang BIR, ang LRA, ang AMLC, ang Ombudsman, at iba pa. Hindi rin kaila sa akin na gagamit ng kabang-yaman para sa mapanira at mapang-aping media campaign, sa radyo, telebisyon at dyaryo, laban sa akin at sa aking pamilya. Lahat po ito ay tinanggap ko, alang-alang sa kasarinlan ng Hudikatura, upang maitaguyod ang kalayaang magpasiya ng mga hukuman, na isang napakahalagang sangkap ng ating demokrasya.
Ngunit nanaig ang masamang pulitika. Wala po akong sala. Wala pong katotohanan ang mga bintang sa akin na nakapaloob sa Articles of Impeachment. Malinis po ang konsyensiya ko. Ngunit isang malungkot na katotohanang pulitikal na minsan ang tingin ng nakararami na nangyari, ay hindi naaayon sa tunay na mga naganap. Lalo na kapag hawak ng iisang tao o pangkat ang buong makinarya ng pamahalaan, at maging ang media na rin, at gamitin ang mga ito upang gumawa ng huwad na dokumento at maglathala ng mapanlinlang na impormasiyon at balita upang manira ng kalaban. Ang lagi nga pong katanungan ay, “Kung malakas ang kaso, bakit kailangan mag-imbento?”
Ang ating bansa ay matagal nang ginambala ng impeachment na ito. At ngayong gabi, inaanyayahan ko kayong talikuran ang naging sentro ng palabas na ito nitong nakaraang limang buwan, upang buuin ang hiblang nagkawatak-watak, at ibaling muli ang ating pansin sa lahat ng mga pagsubok at pangako ng Pilipinas sa susunod na siglo.
Ihinto na po natin ang pulitika ng personal na paninira. Supilin na po natin ang lason na dulot ng labis na kampi-kampihan, labis na pagkakawatak-watak, at hindi mapigilang poot at galit. Hindi po ito ang nararapat para sa ating bayan. Hindi po ito ang buod ng bansang Pilipinas. Panahon na upang isulong ang ating buhay bilang isang bansa.
Tayong lahat ay may mga mahalagang tungkuling dapat tugunan – tunay na mga pagkakataong kailangang samantalahing maabot, totoong mga suliraning kailangang lutasin, at tunay na mga usaping dapat harapin.
Taos-puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa iilang Senador, sina Senador Joker Arroyo, Senadora Miriam Defensor Santiago at Senador Bongbong Marcos na may matatag na kaloobang manindigan sa kabila ng matinding puwersa upang ipaglaban ang kasarinlan ng Hudikatura at ang aking mga karapatan na malinaw na nakasaad sa ating Saligang-Batas.
Nagpapasalamat din po ako sa mga napakarami nating mga kababayan na nagparating ng kanilang pakiki-isa sa amin sa Kataastaasang Hukuman, sa akin, at sa aking pamilya. Kasabay nito, ako po ay humihingi ng paumanhin sa aking maybahay, mga anak at apo, sapagkat sa aking pagtatanggol sa kasarinlan ng Hudikatura ay nailagay ko sila sa kalbaryong hindi naman nila kinailangang maranasan. Pati na rin po sa mga tumulong at sumuporta sa akin, humihingi rin po ako sa inyo ng paumanhin, sapagkat hindi naging sapat ang aking kakayahan upang magtagumpay sa hangarin nating pairalin ang katotohanan.
Kung ito po ang ikabubuti ng ating bayan, tinatanggap ko na po ang kalbaryong aming pinagdaanan. Dahil sa simula’t sapul naman, ay handa na akong mag-alay ng sariling buhay para sa bayan. Kung kaya, ipinapaubaya ko na po sa ating Poong Maykapal at sa taong bayan na higit na makapangyarihan sa ating demokrasya ang aking kinabukasan at ang kinabukasan ng ating Hudikatura.
Maraming salamat po.
The Medical City, Pasig City. Ika-29-ng Mayo, 2012.
(signed)
RENATO C. CORONA
Transcripts of the Senators Explanation of their votes
Guilty:
Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile
Not Guilty:
Sen. Miriam Defensor
She did not deliver this prepared speech.
This was her performance: