Corona acquittal would be a disaster – Aquino

‘LONG SPEECH, NO MEANING’ President Benigno Aquino III on Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines—President Aquino warned on Tuesday that an acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona by the Senate impeachment court would be a disaster for the country.

Speaking at the Youth Summit organized by the Jesus Is Lord Movement at the Smart Araneta coliseum in  Quezon City, the President said he would have wanted to stay on at the gathering but had to watch television, an allusion to the historic vote the Senate is scheduled to take Tuesday afternoon at the end of Corona’s 44-day trial over four months since January.

“Baka pag absent tayo may mangyaring milagro doon, at hindi ho mangyayari ‘yon. At hindi ho milagro kung mangyari ‘yon kabaliktaran—delubyo po ‘yan (If I’m absent a miracle might happen, so I can’t be away. And that won’t be a miracle, it would be the opposite—it would be disaster) Mr. Aquino said.

“Sa dasal po niyo ay talaga namang ayos na ayos tayo. Patuloy po nating patunayan sa buong mundo na sa kapit-kamay nating pagtahak sa tuwid na landas walang balakid ang sa atin ay magpapahinto, mananatiling magniningas ang apoy ng pag-asang sinindihan natin noong simula. Hindi magmamaliw ang tiwala at sigasig nating makamit ang liwanag ng pagbabago sa atin pong bansa,” he said.

At the gathering, the President was prayed over by JIL spiritual adviser Eddie Villanueva, who sought God’s blessing for the Chief Executive.