Aquino hints he will lobby for Chief Justice’s conviction with senators

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III insisted on Tuesday on the strength of the House of Representatives’ impeachment case against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona and told the senators that they should listen to the cry of the people — “our bosses” — if they really believed in the people’s interest.

President Aquino gave the statement when asked about whether he was confident the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona would succeed in the Senate trial.

Asked whether he would make a personal pitch to senators, Aquino said, “I know what I have to do. I’ll do what’s necessary.”

A total of 188 congressmen signed the impeachment complaint against Corona, including eight articles of impeachment.

The impeachment is believed to have been pushed by President Aquino although his allies in the House denied it.

In live TV broadcast, Aquino zeroed in on the alleged partiality of Corona to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who has been charged with a string of plunder cases and electoral sabotage.