ON THE SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE CORONA IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

Two of our friend journalists have different views on the fate of SC Chief Justice Corona. One of the nation's respected journalists and bloggers, Ellen Tordesillas predicts that Corona will be convicted. 

Manuel Buencamino, a columnist for Business Mirror, in a comment in Ellen's blog writes, "Corona will be acquitted. Sana mali ako but the guardians of corruption are legion."  

Ms Tordesillas' writes:

"The walkout by Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona sealed his fate: he will be convicted.  

"During his three-hour narration, wherein he didn’t mince words against those he perceived were maligning him including President Aquino, whom he scornfully referred to as “hacienderong Pangulo”, he kept on complaining about his detractors undermining the rule law and bastardizing due process.   

"“Binababoy nila ang proseso ng Saligang Batas para yurakan ang aking mga karapatan,” he said.  

"As chief justice, Corona should be the embodiment of the rule of law. His office enforces judicial code of conduct and the Code of Professional Responsibility for lawyers. He knows that a witness, which he was on May 22, does not leave the witness stand without being discharged by the Presiding judge.  Yet,acting imperial, he declared:“And now, the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines wishes to be excused.” He left the witness stand and walked out of the courtroom. He didn’t wait to be excused."

For the complete report: Ellen Tordesillas Blog

Our view from abroad? The impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona has been a good democratic showcase but it has also left an indellible corrupted mark on our political system and on our justice system entailing the risk that the rest of the free world will not find it easy to believe that they can fully trust our political and justice systems again -- at least not for a long time.  

Even if he is acquitted, Mr Corona must resign. This impeachment trial, rightly or wrongly, has exposed some of the dirtiest laundries from his professional and personal domains. The chief justice of a nation's supreme court cannot preside over the highest court of the land with a record such as his and remain credible in the eyes of the nation and the world. There is no other recourse but for Mr Corona to leave, hoping that his departure will save the Supreme Court -- and the justice system, from further indignity.

Perception may not be everything but it plays an important part in how many of the official quarters in the rest of the free world decide whether to trust us or not.

  

*Photo credit: Impeachment Watch News