Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, an administration ally, predicted that Chief Justice Renato Corona will run to the Supreme Court and seek “rescue” from his allies when the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, rules against him.
“My sense is that in the event of an unfavorable ruling, he (Corona) will bring the matter to the Supreme Court despite the clear constitutional provision that says the Senate has the sole power to try and decide the case,” Pangilinan said in a statement on Wednesday.
“He will insist on the Supreme Court having the power to overturn a decision of the impeachment court,” he said.
Corona’s walkout after he gave his opening statement in the trial Tuesday, the senator said, was just a prelude to “rejecting an adverse ruling and seeking rescue from his allies in the Supreme Court.”
“He tried it before, he will try it again,” Pangilinan said.
He pointed out how Corona’s defense lawyers accused the senators of allegedly receiving a P100-million bribe from Malacañang followed by talk of the walkout should the impeachment court vote to defy the temporary restraining order of the Supreme Court against disclosure of his dollar bank accounts.
Corona, he said, even issued a statement calling the impeachment trial a fraud.
“All that fizzled out. Now, as a prelude to another crucial final vote, it appears that the Chief Justice is again laying the premise for a rejection of an adverse ruling by his walkout yesterday,” he said.
Pangilinan then urged the Senate to stand firm and render a verdict “whether or not the Chief Justice cooperates.”