You don’t convict an accused through surveys, say senators
MANILA, Philippines—Three senators shrugged off on Tuesday the latest survey by Pulse Asia showing that almost half of the Filipino people found Chief Justice Renato Corona guilty of the impeachment case filed against him.
Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile . JUNNY ROY / SENATE POOL
“Ako ang titingnan ko diyan e iyong ebidenysa,” Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said when sought to react to the survey.
“E kung survey ang gagamitn natin (If we are going to use the surveys) to convict or not to convict a person charged in our court, then we don’t need the court. All we have to do is to conduct surveys whenever somebody is charged,” Enrile said.
The Senate leader, who presides over the impeachment trial of Corona, stressed he would not be pressured by the survey.
“Wala (Nothing). I will decide it according to the evidence, then nothing more,” he added.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he would focus on what is happening inside the impeachment court rather than be affected by survey results.
A senator-judge like him, Sotto said, would only be pressured by the survey if they pay attention to it.
“Kaya nga ang sabi ko dapat huwag mong intindihin ang mga ganyan (That’s why I said, you should ignore those things),” he said.
Asked if public opinion does not matter then, Sotto said, “As far as the procedures in the court are concerned, I don’t think so.”
“Kasi iba ang sinasabi sa publiko ng kahit sino, hindi under oath. Madaling magsalita at mag-imbento kapag hindi under oath. Kaya mas mabuting makinig dito sa impeachment court, kung ano ang kalalabasan, iyon dapat ang basis ng decision ng isang senator-judge (Because what a person says in public is different under oath. It’s easy to speak and make stories if they are not under oath. That’s why, it’s better to listen to the impeachment court and whatever transpires here should be the basis of decision of a senator-judge,” he pointed out.
“I try my best, I do my best to confine myself with what is transpiring in the impeachment court,” Sotto added.
Senator Gregorio Honasan aired the same view, saying, “The culpability of the accused, Chief Justice, will not be determined by surveys or by public opinion.”
“It will be decided by the senator judges individually and collectively,” Honasan said.
Asked if he would be pressured by the results of the survey, Honasan said, “Hindi (no).”
In the survey conducted from February 26 to March 9, 43 percent of 1,200 respondents could not say whether Corona is guilty or not, 33 percent said that Corona “is probably guilty” while only 15 percent are “certain about his guilt.”
Meanwhile, 5 percent said he is innocent of the charges filed against him.
