[Listen to Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. oral arguments for the prosecution]
Chief Justice Renato Corona PHOTO BY : JUNNY ROY / DAILY TRIBUNE / SENATE POOL
MANILA Philippines – The prosecution panel on Monday painted Chief Justice Renato Corona as a “dishonest public servant” for his “his habitual non-declaration” of his wealth in full.
“[It] belies good faith…[a] deception of the highest order,” was how chief prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr described the crime committed by Corona when he allegedly failed to “completely, truthfully and faithfully” disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
“Does respondent Corona’s failure to completely, truthfully and faithfully declare his assets, liabilities and net worth” constitute an impeachable offense? Our answer is ‘yes’ because it is both a betrayal of public trust and a culpable violation of the Constitution,” said Tupas, who first gave the closing statement for the prosecution team.
“It is lying, it is dishonesty, it is deception of the highest order,” he said.
But at the start of his arguments, the chief prosecutor made it clear that the impeachment proceedings against Corona were not directed at him but to the “evils that plague our system.”
“Let it be clear that we meant not to destroy a man but to destroy the evils that plague or system,” he said.
“We don’t rejoice over the fact in the process, deep wounds were inflicted. But sometimes, great pain must be endured so that genuine healing may begin,” he said.