Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio denied conspiring with President Benigno Aquino III and DoTC Secretary Mar Roxas to oust former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“At the end of the day, all these accusations will be exposed as false because I know they are not true,” Corona said.
“I was accused as one of those who schemed with President Aquino and Secretary Roxas but I never talked to those people. In fact they are saying I will never be appointed [as Chief Justice] because I am not close to the President,” Carpio said.
“So hindi po totoong nag-scheme kayo,” ex-officio member and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. asked.
“Yes, you will know that because I never talked to you,” Carpio said.
When asked if he is willing to be friends with Corona again, he said “yes, why not. You can always forget and forgive.”
Prior to the impeachment, Carpio and Corona have been very good friends but Corona accused Carpio of scheming with the President, calling him “nagmamadaling maging chief justice (rushing to be appointed as Chief Justice).”
Carpio said they invited Corona to the inauguration of the Angeles City Hall of Justice which is dubbed as the model Hall of Justice since it was Corona who initiated the project. Carpio did not indicate, however, if Corona replied or declined the invitation.