Palace admits meeting between Aquino, Corona but says no talk of term sharing

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Friday admitted that President Benigno Aquino III met with Chief Justice Renato Corona in June 2010 but maintained that nothing improper was discussed.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President did not ask for Corona’s support for the cases that the government will file against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies.

Lacierda said the President only asked Corona if his administration can expect fairness from his court.

“Yes you can expect fairness from us. We will render decision based on fairness and legal precepts,” Lacierda said quoting Corona during the meeting.

He said the President did not seek Corona’s support over Executive Order No. 1, which sought to create a body that would investigate Arroyo, and that no term sharing with Senior Associate Justice Antonio Corona was discussed.

Lacierda added that it was not the President who sought the meeting with Corona but that a retired Associate Justice arranged it hoping to remove the animosity between the two branches of government.