Case of Corona

8/10/2019 Case of Corona

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On Ma+ 74! 4575! t/o $a+s after the 4575 general election an$ a ,onth *efore

Presi$ent )loria Macapagal Arro+o Ds ter, e>pire$! Corona /as appointe$ the 4Gr$ Chief

Justice of the Supre,e Court of the Philippines ! succee$ing Re+nato Puno . He /as the

&,ost senior& Supre,e Court ?ustice a,ong the four no,inees of the J"C.

His appoint,ent /as highl+ critici1e$! nota*l+ *+ then presi$ential

can$i$ate "enigno A uino III an$ for,er Presi$ent -i$el V. Ra,os ! $ue to a

constitutional prohi*ition against Arro+o fro, ,a#ing appoint,ents t/o ,onths *efore

the election up to the en$ of her ter,. "efore *eing electe$ presi$ent! A uino sai$ that he

/ill not recogni1e an+ chief ?ustice appoint,ent that /ill *e ,a$e *+ the Arro+o

a$,inistration! an$ ,entione$ i,peach,ent as an option to re,o%e hi, *+ sa+ing =The

legislature has the po/er of i,peach,ent if the+ feel there are groun$s to i,peach an

i,peacha*le constitutional *o$+. That is open to an+ presi$ent... Therefore /e /ill ha%e

to restu$+ the ,atter! stu$+ our options. At this point in ti,e Congress has +et to *e

electe$.@

ith "enigno A uino III /inning the election! he in%ite$ all hea$s of the three

*ranches of go%ern,ent to his inauguration ! although instea$ of the tra$ition of hi,

*eing inaugurate$ *+ the Chief Justice! he instea$ chose to *e s/orn in *+ Associate

Justice Conchita Carpio(Morales ! the sole $issenter on the case.

Conflict between President Benigno S. Aquino and Chief Justice Corona

On 0ece,*er ! 4577! at the National Cri,inal Justice Su,,it at the Manila

Hotel ! A uino sai$ in a speech that Corona! /ho /as seate$ ,eters a/a+ fro, hi,! is

*ehol$en to Arro+o. A uino uestione$ the courtDs granting of a te,porar+ restraining

or$er lifting the /atch list or$er of the 0epart,ent of Justice against Arro+o! Arro+oDs

,i$night appoint,ent of Corona! an$ the ruling of

Ca,arines SurD s t/o ne/ legislati%e

$istricts as constitutional $espite falling short of the re uire$ population set *+ the

constitution.

Impeachment

On the 0ece,*er 74! 4577 flag(raising cere,on+ at the Supre,e Court! Corona

re%eale$ that there /as &a secret plan to oust ,e fro, office *+ an+ ,eans! fair or foul.&

Corona sai$ that he /oul$ not resign. B8

ater in the $a+! a caucus a,ongst A uinoDs allies in the House of Representati%e

/as calle$. Minorit+ lea$er E$cel ag,an sai$ that $iscussion a,ongst A uinoDs allies

heightene$ /hen the Co,,ittee on Justice passe$ an i,peach,ent case in%ol%ing

Associate Justice Mariano $el Castillo on his allege$ plagiaris,. ag,an further sai$ that

if the %ote passe$! he /oul$ uestion its &legal an$ factual *asis.& B; The $eput+

presi$ential spo#esperson! on the other han$! state$ that the Palace &is not pri%+ to the

$iscussions of the i*eral Part+ in the House.& B:

At the conclusion of ,a?orit+ *locDs caucus! Co,,ittee on Justice chair,an Niel

Tupas! Jr. presente$ the i,peach,ent co,plaint after the presentation! onl+ t/o

representati%es as#e$ for ,ore uestions! /hile an o%er/hel,ing ,a?orit+ as#e$ to sign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_general_election,_2010http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_general_election,_2010http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Macapagal_Arroyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynato_Punohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_V._Ramoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conchita_Carpio-Moraleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_Hotelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_Hotelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injunctionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injunctionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Justice_(Philippines)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_districts_of_Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_districts_of_Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edcel_Lagmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariano_del_Castillohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niel_Tupas,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niel_Tupas,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_general_election,_2010http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Macapagal_Arroyohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynato_Punohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_V._Ramoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Philippineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Benigno_Aquino_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conchita_Carpio-Moraleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_Hotelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_Hotelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injunctionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injunctionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Justice_(Philippines)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_districts_of_Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_districts_of_Camarines_Surhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edcel_Lagmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariano_del_Castillohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Renato_Corona#cite_note-9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niel_Tupas,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niel_Tupas,_Jr.


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the co,plaint. He sai$ that there /ere no instructions fro, the Palace to i,peach Corona!

nor /as the por# *arrel of representati%es /ho $i$ not sign /oul$ *e hel$ *ac#! *ut he

sai$ that he infor,e$ the presi$ent of their $ecision to i,peach Corona! an$ that the

presi$ent supporte$ it. The House of Representati%es then %ote$ in session to en$orse the

co,plaint! getting 7;; %otes! /ell a*o%e the one(thir$ 2:93 of the ,e,*ers re uire$ *+

the constitution. B75

Na%otas representati%e To*+ Tiangco resigne$ fro, the ,a?orit+ *loc! an$ the

chair,anship of the Co,,ittee on Metro Manila $e%elop,ent! after the i,peach,ent

/as passe$ *+ the House of Representati%es. Tiangco sai$ that the co,plaint /as

appro%e$ /ithout the ,e,*ers of Congress scrutini1ing it. B77 "atangas 4n$

$istrict representati%e Her,ilan$o Man$anas ! /ho $i$ not sign the co,plaint! /as

relie%e$ of the chair,anship of the Co,,ittee on a+s an$ Means. Man$anas

uote$ Spea#er -eliciano "el,onte! Jr. on sa+ing that the A uino a$,inistration /ante$

his re,o%al. B74 The ,a?orit+ *loc /as not surprise$ /ith TiangcoDs resignation fro, the

,a?orit+! /ith Ma?orit+ ea$er Neptali )on1ales II $escri*ing Tiangco as a &,a%eric#&

an$ has &,ore than ,an+ ti,es i$entifie$ he /ith the ,inorit+.& B

Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona

On 0ece,*er 74! 4577! 7;; of the 4;9 ,e,*ers of the House of Representati%esof the Philippines %ote$ to trans,it the 9 (page Articles of I,peach,ent against Supre,e

Court Chief Justice Renato Corona .

Of the si> e>clusi%e groun$s lai$ $o/n in Section 4! Article KI of

the Constitution ! the three groun$s of 273 *etra+al of pu*lic trust ! 243graft an$ corruption !

an$ 2G3 culpa*le %iolation of the Constitution /ere $istri*ute$ a,ong the eight Articles of

I,peach,ent trie$ *+ the Senate starting Januar+ 7 ! 4574.

On Ma+ 4:! 4574! the Senate! %oting 45LG! con%icte$ Corona un$er Article II of

the Articles of I,peach,ent file$ against hi, pertaining to his failure to $isclose to the

pu*lic his state,ent of assets! lia*ilities! an$ net /orth .B7

"elo/ are the su,,aries of I,peach,ent Co,plaint %ersus Chief Justice Renato

Coronaonerating a ,e,*er of the Supre,e Court!Respon$ent! in %iolation of the Constitution! for,e$ an Ethics Co,,ittee there*+arrogating unto hi,self! an$ to a Co,,ittee he create$! the authorit+ an$

?uris$iction to in%estigate an allege$ ,e,*er of the Supre,e Court.

+II. R SP!"# "T B TRA$ # T% P&B'IC TR&ST T%R!&(% %ISPARTIA'IT$ I" (RA"TI"( A T *P!RAR$ R STRAI"I"( !R# R 6TR!8I" ,A+!R !, ,!R* R PR SI# "T ('!RIA *ACAPA(A'=ARR!$! A"#% R %&SBA"# J!S *I(& ' ARR!$! I" !R# R T! (I+ T% * A"!PP!RT&"IT$ T! SCAP PR!S C&TI!" A"# T! ,R&STRAT T%

"#S !, J&STIC / A"# I" #IST!RTI"( T% S&PR * C!&RT # CISI!"!" T% ,, CTI+IT$ !, T% TR! I" +I - !, A C' AR ,AI'&R T!


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C!*P'$ -IT% T% C!"#ITI!"S !, T% S&PR * C!&RTES !-"TR!.

The Supre,e Court! un$er the Respon$ent! i,,e$iatel+ acte$ upon the Petitionan$ grante$ the TRO $espite the fact that there are clear inconsistencies in for,er Presi$ent Arro+oFs petition

It appears fro, reports that the ponente to /ho, the petitions /ere raffle$ /as anAssociate Justice. n$er the Internal Rules of the Supre,e Court! a TRO can onl+

*e consi$ere$ upon the reco,,en$ation of the ponente . In %ie/ of certaino*?ections against the grant of the TRO! a hol$ing of a hearing /ithin the short

perio$ of fi%e 293 $a+s /as reco,,en$e$. 0espite this reco,,en$ation! theRespon$ent engineere$ a ,a?orit+ of ; %otes 2as against fi%e $issenters3 thei,,e$iate grant an$ issuance of the TRO in fa%our of for,er Presi$ent Arro+oan$ her hus*an$ in *latant %iolation of their o/n internal rules.

0espite the con$itions lai$ *+ the SC for the issuance of the TRO! Respon$ent

allo/e$ the issuance of the TRO not/ithstan$ing the fact there /as non(co,pliance of an essential pre(con$ition

o 0ue to the Arro+osF a*?ect failure to co,pl+ /ith Con$ition 4! theSupre,e Court en 'anc in its No%e,*er 7;! 4577 $eli*erations! *+ a %oteof8L ! foun$ that there /as no co,pliance /ith the secon$ con$ition of the TRO. Conse uentl+! for failure to co,pl+ /ith an essential con$itionfor the TRO! the TRO is not effecti%e. Ho/e%er! *+ a %ote of 8( ! theSupre,e Court $eci$e$ there /as no nee$ to e>plicitl+ state the legaleffect on the TRO of the nonco,pliance *+ petitioners /ith Con$ition

Nu,*er 4 of the earlier Resolution.

o Ho/e%er! the SC $eci$e$ that the TRO /as effecti%e $espite non(co,pliance /ith an essential con$ition of the TRO. It is nota*le thatRespon$ent $i$ not chastise Mar ue1 for his outrightl+ false an$ pu*lic,isrepresentation.

o orse! the Respon$ent $i$ not correct the $ecision that /as issue$ $espitethe fact that the $ecision $i$ not reflect the agree,ent an$ $ecision ,a$e

*+ the Supre,e Court $uring their $eli*erations on No%e,*er 7;!4577.

+III. R SP!"#"T B TRA$ # T% P&B'IC TR&ST A"# !R C!**ITT # (RA,T A"# C!RR&PTI!" -% " % ,AI' # A"# R ,&S #T! ACC!&"T ,!R T% JICIAR$ # + '!P* "T ,&"# 6J#,8A"# SP CIA' A''!-A"C ,!R T% JICIAR$ 6SAJ8 C!'' CTI!"S.

Respon$ent has reporte$l+ faile$ an$ refuse$ to report on the status of the J0--un$s an$ the SAJ collections.

There is li#e/ise the reporte$ failure of Respon$ent to account for fun$s release$an$ spent for unfille$ positions in the ?u$iciar+ an$ fro, authori1e$ an$ fun$e$

*ut not create$ courts.

o In particular! the annual au$it report of the Supre,e Court of thePhilippines containe$ the o*ser%ation that unre,itte$ fun$s to the "ureauof Treasur+ a,ounte$ to P9.G; "illion

o the Special allo/ance for Ju$iciar+ along /ith the )eneral -un$! Ju$iciar+0e%elop,ent -un$ in the a,ount of P99:.9 Million /ere ,isstate$resulting fro, $ela+e$ an$ or non(preparation of *an# reconciliationstate,ents an$ non(recor$ing uncorrecte$ reconciling ite,s.


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On Ma+ 4:! 4574! he /as foun$ guilt+ *+ the Senate of Article II of the Articles

of I,peach,ent file$ against hi, for his failure to $isclose to the pu*lic his state,ent of

assets! lia*ilities! an$ net /orth. T/ent+ out of t/ent+(three senators %ote$ to con%ict

hi,. A t/o(thir$s ,a?orit+ ! or 7 %otes! /as necessar+ to con%ict an$ re,o%e Corona

fro, office. Corona respon$e$ *+ $eclaring that &ugl+ politics pre%aile$& an$ his

&conscience is clear.& This ,ar#e$ the first ti,e that a high(le%el Philippine official has

*een i,peache$ an$ con%icte$. Senator Jo#er Arro+o $enounce$ the %er$ict! en$ing his

state,ent /ith ) cannot i!agine re!oving a Chie" Justice on account o" a *A+ . oday,

we are one step "ro! violating the constitution and passing a 'ill o" attainder. o one can

stop us i" we do not stop ourselves. his is not ustice / political or legal. his is certainly

not law, "or sure it is not the law o" the constitution. )t is only na0ed power as it was in

1234. ) haven5t thought that ) would see it again so 'ra6enly per"or!ed 'ut "or what it is

worth, ) cast !y vote. )" not "or innocence "alsely accused, o" o""enses yet to e&ist, and i" not "or the law and the constitution, that we were privileged to restore under Cory

A%uino, then 'ecause it is dangerous not to do what is right. 7hen soon we stand 'e"ore

the +ord, ) vote to ac%uit . Senator Pia Ca+etano e>plaine$ her %ote *+ stating that the

"ailure to declare 84.9 !illion and so!e :; !illion pesos is not !inor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachment_against_Chief_Justice_Renato_Corona#Article_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachment_against_Chief_Justice_Renato_Corona#Article_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermajorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermajorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pia_Cayetanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachment_against_Chief_Justice_Renato_Corona#Article_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Impeachmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermajorityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pia_Cayetano

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Case of Corona