Church neutral on Corona’s impeach trial

WHILE the Catholic Church won’t take sides in the ongoing impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, it also wished that the Senate respect the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order against opening Corona’s dollar accounts.

“Our stand in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is we are not favoring anybody and we aren’t telling Corona to reveal his account,” said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Palma, also incumbent CBCP chairman, issued the statement in response to Fr. Edu Gariguez’s statement urging Corona to allow the Senate to open his dollar accounts.

“He does not reflect the mind of the CBCP since he isn’t a CBCP official,” said Palma of Gariguez, a member of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action.

But Palma said the group is urging the public to respect the impeachment process and place their trust on the senator-judges.

Last Thursday’s impeachment hearing showed that Corona has five dollar accounts with PS Bank.

The defense filed for a TRO to prevent the prosecution and the senator judges from opening Corona’s account.

Last Thursday, the Supreme Court also voted for an indefinite TRO to stop the Senate from opening the dollar accounts.

In an interview over the church’s Radio Veritas, Palma said the Supreme Court’s TRO should be respected by the Senate.

He said both institutions should share mutual respect and understanding with each other.

“I hinted my hope that if the SC voted for the TRO, the Senate should also vote that. The logic is to also respect the Supreme Court,” Palma said.

He said the High Tribunal is the highest body tasked with interpreting the laws.

Palma also called on the public to continue praying for the guidance of the senator judges so the truth will come out in the proceedings. “The best we can do is trust the system,” he said. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya