Aquino laying groundwork for impeachment of Chief Justice Corona, says analyst

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III is laying the ground for the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona when he twice bashed the Supreme Court for its controversial decisions that favored former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

At least that was how political analyst Ramon Casiple viewed on Tuesday the presidential tirades against Corona and the high court.

“He’s building the case. If you read or heard his speech (Monday), he’s putting in the place the bills of particulars (for an impeachment case against Corona),” Casiple told reporters while waiting for the arrival of President Aquino for the 22nd Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship Awards for Professional Development at the Peninsula Hotel Manila in Makati City.

He pointed out that the President took care to mention, in his speech Monday, during the first National Criminal Justice summit, the questionable appointment of Corona where the high court “re-interpreted the Constitution.”

Then the Chief Executive also raised the junking of the Palace order that created the Truth Commission, which would have investigated the alleged corruption in the Arroyo administration, Casiple said.

And for these charges raised by President Aquino, Casiple said that an impeachment case against Corona might be filed in Congress for the latter’s actions that had to do with alleged “betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.”

Casiple said he did not think President Aquino had gone overboard by the latter’s verbal attacks against the Corona-led high court.

“It was clear that he was issuing a challenge to the Supreme Court and even the Chief Justice on whether they would stand by their promise of service to the people and the Constitution,” he said.

“What we are witnessing is a dynamic process of democracy where you have (the Executive and the judiciary) not agreeing with one position,” he also said.

Casiple said he also did not think that President Aquino was taking his fight against Corona personally because the latter did make a promise to go after and charge Arroyo.

He also said the ongoing row between the Palace and the judiciary has not yet escalated into a constitutional crisis because that would only happen if the system of government was no longer working.

Aside from Monday’s fiery speech before the National Criminal Justice summit, President Aquino also bashed the Corona-led high court when he addressed the Makati Business Club last week.