Only three out of the 188 members of the House of Representatives who signed the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona have so far agreed to take his challenge to sign a waiver disclosing their dollar and peso bank deposits.
Pangasinan Representative Kimi Cojuangco, ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio, and Kalinga party-list Representative Abigail Faye Ferriol have conveyed to the media their plan to take up Corona’s dare.
“If you have nothing to hide, there should be no problem,” said Tinio.
“This constitutes good faith on my part and further proof that I am not hiding anything. It is my hope that the Chief Justice himself would make good on his stand for transparency and public accountability by executing his waiver without conditions and submitting himself to cross-examination by the prosecution,” said Ferriol in a statement.
House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said that members of the minority bloc who did not sign the impeachment would also sign a waiver on their bank deposits if the 189, including Senator Franklin Drilon, challenged by Corona would open up their bank accounts.
Surigao Representative Philip Pichay, a minority member, said he would gladly sign the waiver “even if only the 189th cited by Corona (referring to Drilon)” would sign his.