De Lima welcomes Corona’s removal as chief justice

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Senate to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona of culpable violation of the Constitution and remove him from office.

In a statement, De Lima lauded the 23 senators who acted as judges in the gruelling 44-day impeachment trial in the Senate.

“Foremost of my initial reaction to the verdict, to be honest, is one of cautious relief,” said the justice secretary, who is attending a human rights conference in Geneva, Switzerland. “Relief because, finally, this trying and delicate matter has been settled in such a manner that reason, justice and, most of all, truth ultimately prevailed. Cautious because we now have the opportunity to rebuild the integrity and nobility of several important government institutions.”

De Lima expressed optimism that Corona’s impeachment “will be remembered and seen for what it is: not politics, not family feuds, not power struggles… but the fight to uphold and put into practice the solemn and vital principle that public service is a public trust.”