Anti-Corona solons remain united despite ‘poorly crafted’ impeach complaint

MANILA, Philippines – Despite an admission from one of their colleagues that the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona was “poorly crafted”, Akbayan partylist Representative Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao said that the 188 representatives who signed the complaint had agreed that the defendant was no longer fit to retain his position in the Supreme Court.

Bag-ao was reacting to the statement by Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Farinas, who admitted to the Senate, acting as impeachment court, that he thought the complaint was “poorly crafted”.

Bag-ao said the complaint was in fact discussed, revised, and had passed the hands of many representatives, primarily those who were part of the committee of justice at the House of Representatives.

“[Farinas] believes that we can prove our case during the impeachment proceedings,” said Bag-ao. She said that they may not have agreed on the manner in which it was written but they all believed that they could prove their allegations.

She also said that there was no tension within their team, saying they agreed that the “ultimate facts” had been laid out in the complaint. “We see no problems in proving Article 3,” Bag-ao added.

“We have one charge and that is betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution,” she explained, saying that Corona failed to observe the stringent standards of competence, integrity, probity, and independence.

Farinas was also quick to clarify that he did not mean that the complaint was defective when he said that it was poorly written.