MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court should allow the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona to push through, Malacanang spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Tuesday.
Five petitions are pending before the high tribunal seeking to stop the Senate-turned-impeachment court from enforcing the proceedings set to start on January 16.
“Since it is already filed with the Senate and Chief Justice Corona is already impeached and now we are waiting for the trial, we would like to ask the Supreme Court, with all due respect to allow the representatives of the people to hear the case against Chief Justice Corona. Let us not allow the Supreme Court to stop it,” Lacierda told reporters after his visit to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima at the Department of Justice in Padre Faura.
“Since this is already considered an action that will be decided by the representatives and therefore this is already a political question, we would rather ask the Supreme Court to allow the impeachment before the Senate,” Lacierda said.
Petitioners Danilo Lihaylihay, lawyers Vladimir Cabigao, Vicente Millora, Oliver Lozano, Homobono Adaza and Alan Paguia filed five separate petitions before the Supreme Court asking that the articles of impeachment be declared unconstitutional.