Corona distorts SC en banc decision in favor of Gloria Arroyo—Rep. Colmenares

MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution team on Wednesday slammed the defense panel’s argument on why Chief Justice Renato Corona was singled out in the impeachment case when other Supreme Court justices were involved in the ruling on the temporary restraining order for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In a news conference held after the impeachment trial on Wednesday, Bayan Muna Party-list Representative and lead prosecutor for Article 7 Neri Colmenares said the defense would not argue the resolution was made by a collegiate body.

Colmenares said Corona, using his position as Chief Justice, had the authority to immediately set the hearing on the TRO and “committed an act of partiality.”

He added the defense must not argue that all justices who favored the TRO should be held accountable since it was Corona’s decision to distort the Supreme Court en banc decision.

“He (Corona) cannot hide behind collegiality because the act is his and his alone,” Colmenares said. He added the other justices who favored the TRO may have voted without bias and partiality.

The prosecution alleged that Corona, on the basis of his close relationship Arroyo, had reversed the ruling of the Supreme Court en banc decision.

Colmenares quoted the dissenting opinion made by SC Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on the TRO which says the resolution released did not contain the decision that SC justices arrived at during their en banc hearing on the issue.

Colmenares, quoting the “archaic” SC rules said during en banc sessions, only the Chief Justice will be allowed to take down notes which will then be used as the basis of the minutes of the hearing and the resolution to be released.

Colmenares added the unsigned resolution need not be reviewed by other justices hence it came as a surprise for other justices when the resolution stated that Arroyo and her husband, former first gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, will be allowed to leave the country without needing to comply with the conditions.