Chief Justice Renato Corona
Chief Justice Renato Corona has asked the Senate impeachment court to impose sanctions against House prosecutors for releasing purported evidence against him in a string of press conferences before his trial which begins on Monday.
Corona cried foul over media reports about his condominium unit at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
He said the acquisition of the property “was candidly admitted and explained” in his official reply to the impeachment complaint against him.
In a seven-page manifestation, the Chief Justice described the actions by Representative Niel Tupas Jr. and other members of the House prosecution team as “a clever ruse to destroy (his) image before the bar of public opinion and generate a negative public perception of his guilt ahead of the impeachment trial.”
Corona strongly objected “to the prosecution’s unbridled dissemination of information or documents, which may not be admissible in evidence or relevant to the case.”
The Chief Justice manifested his “conformity to the authority” of the Senate impeachment court “to issue or promulgate any interim or disciplinary measures to enforce and carry out its legal mandate.”
Corona said the actions by Tupas and company were “a contemptible affront” to the impeachment court, whose constitutional mandate was “precisely to pass judgment on the complaint.”
He cited Rule XVIII of the impeachment trial, which barred senators, including the defense and prosecution, “from making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial.”
Corona also mentioned Rule V, which said that the Senate “shall have power … to preserve order and to punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders, mandates, writs or judgments, and to make all lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential or conducive to the ends of justice.”
“I’m laying it all on the line. I’ve given my all. You know, we have a big stake in this democracy,” Corona told reporters after attending a Mass on Monday night.
“I still feel that I’m fortunate because I will be able to defend myself and my principles in life. Not everyone is given this opportunity,” he added.
He said he was prepared to face his accusers. “I may win or I may lose. Whatever happens, it is important that I show who I really am. Let it not be said that I did not defend my principles,” he said.
Corona’s wife, Ma. Cristina, stressed that she and her husband did not steal from government coffers to buy properties.
“We’ve done nothing wrong. Everything (we have) is legitimate. We have nothing to be afraid of,” she said.
Under fire
Tupas and his fellow prosecutors earlier came under fire from senators for releasing documents about Corona’s purported properties. Senator Panfilo Lacson warned that the prosecutors could be cited in contempt.
Prosecutors initially held a press conference announcing that Corona owned a 303.5-square-meter unit worth P14.51 million at The Bellagio in Taguig.
When castigated, Corona’s detractors continued leaking evidence against him, this time, asking media to cite anonymous sources.
Malacañang joined the fray claiming that Corona’s salary from government could not have been enough for him to purchase the condo unit. It also asked the Chief Justice to release his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
As if on cue, Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Ma. Lourdes Sereno, an appointee of President Benigno Aquino III, made their respective SALN available to the public.
“Mr. Tupas has all intention to publicize information or documents against CJ Corona despite knowledge of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials,” the Chief Justice said. “The fundamental error of Mr. Tupas’ view betrays his lack of candor.”
Corona is facing charges of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption amplified in the eight articles of impeachment in connection with, among others, decisions said to be biased in favor of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The Aquino administration has vowed to prosecute Arroyo for alleged corruption. She is currently under hospital arrest for electoral sabotage—a charge she has denied.
Midas Marquez, the Supreme Court administrator and spokesperson, on Tuesday announced that Karen Jimeno, Tranquil Salvador and Ramon Esguerra had volunteered to join Corona’s legal team headed by retired Justice Serafin Cuevas.
The three also will act as spokespersons, along with Cuevas.
Marquez said Jimeno, a graduate of the University of the Philippines’ College of Law, earned her master’s degree in law from Harvard University.
“She just got married last Saturday. So she’ll be spending her honeymoon at the Senate,” Marquez quipped.
Salvador was a former law school dean of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay and president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines chapter in Quezon City.
He now teaches law at the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University.
Esguerra was justice undersecretary during the Ramos administration.