SC junks petitions vs Corona impeachment

Former Chief Justice Renato Corona. SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court has junked the remaining petitions questioning the House of Representatives’ move to impeach former Chief Justice Renato Corona and the trial conducted by the Senate that resulted in his ouster.

In a three-page resolution, the high court en banc dismissed for being moot the separate petitions filed by the following: Danilo Lihaylihay; lawyers Vladimir Cabigao, Oliver Lozano and Allan Paguia; Rev. Bernardo Magno; former Assemblyman Homobono Adaza; Herman Tiu-Laurel, and Rodolfo Salandanan, who all raised constitutional issues regarding the impeachment process.

The justices noted that Corona accepted his May 29 conviction by the Senate and had already vacated his office. On Aug. 24, President Aquino appointed a new Chief Justice, Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

“The recent turn of events, including the appointment of a new Chief Justice, has rendered the petitions before us moot. Wherefore, we dismiss the consolidated petitions on the ground of mootness,” the resolution stated.

The high court, citing mootness of the issues, also dismissed in July a similar petition filed by Corona himself.

Lihaylihay and the other petitioners had argued that the complaint against Corona was not verified by the overwhelming majority of the complainants. They also alleged that the House committed grave abuse of discretion by transmitting the complaint to the Senate.