Bishops divided over Corona’s waiver dare to lawmakers

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Roman Catholic bishops are divided over the challenge of Chief Justice Renato Corona to 188 members of the House of Representatives who signed the impeached complaint against him and to senator-judge Franklin Drilon to sign waivers to open their bank accounts.

Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said signing a waiver should not be a problem for Corona’s accusers since they, as public servants, were supposed to be open to public scrutiny.

He said the Chief Justice made the challenge to make a statement.

“That’s why the basis of this is: let us who have no sin throw the first stone. That’s the message there,’” Cruz told reporters in an interview.

Cruz said he believed Corona had already said all that he wanted to say in his opening statement that the addressed to the people.

“It’s OK [for him not to attend the hearing further]. The Chief Justice already gave his message to the general public. Whether he appears before the impeachment court today or later, I think, is already immaterial. For him, he already addressed the general public and for him, that’s already enough,” the prelate said on Wednesday.

However, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes criticized Corona’s challenge to his accusers to sign a waiver. “He must not make conditions. He is the one on trial,” he said.

Asked if he were satisfied with Corona’s response to the charges against him, he replied, “I am not satisfied. Mere denial is not enough.”

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, who celebrated Mass on Monday at the Supreme Court on the eve of Corona’s appearance before the Senate, backed the Chief Justice’s challenge to the congressmen and Drilon.

“The nation will benefit a lot if they will sign a waiver,” he said, adding that the congressmen and Drilon should also remember that Corona was not obligated to sign a waiver in the first place.

Asked what if the congressmen and Drilon refused to sign, he replied, “’Di sorry na lang ang bayan (Too bad for the country).”

In an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also said Corona’s accusers should sign the waiver to get the trust of the people and for them to know the truth.

“The challenge of the Chief Justice is good. So that we can get the trust of the people, bring out to SALNs (statements of assets, liabilities and net worth) too, like the one he’s willing to do,” he said.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez did not make a definite position on the issue but said the Senate should find other ways for the truth to come out.

“The truth must come out. The process of the impeachment has its ways. [The Senate should] just implement them,” he said.

Pabillo said he personally sympathized with Corona’s plight and praised him for communicating his position in Filipino that he was a victim of malicious accusation by the Aquino administration.

“It’s said that if they can do it to the Chief Justice who is a prominent person and a lawyer, they can to it to anybody,” Pabillo said.

“The force of the government is being used to defame people, and the problem is, the Chief Justice was denounced over the media. Before the allegations are brought out [in the Senate], they are brought out in the media. That’s why it’s sad,” he added.