Palace wishes Corona would resign but won’t ask him to

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang would welcome Chief Justice Renato Corona’s resignation if he would make the move in the wake of his impeachment trial in January.

“The whole idea of the impeachment—the goal of impeachment— is removal, and in the same manner that we welcomed the resignation of the former Ombudsman Gutierrez,” said  Edwin Lacierda, President Aquino’s spokesperson.

“Since the goal of the impeachment is removal, and if he should decide to voluntarily resign on his own, certainly that is something that we will welcome,” Lacierda added.

Lacierda said it was up to Corona what to do next. Corona has said that he would stay the course and not resign.

“We cannot divine what will happen in the future but… insofar as the House impeachment team is concerned, they are prepared to prosecute the case against the Chief Justice,” Lacierda said.

“As to what the reaction will be of the Chief Justice, we leave it with him although he has mentioned that he will fight to the end,” he added.