Corona is object of Aquino’s sarcasm

‘LONG SPEECH, NO MEANING’ President Benigno Aquino III on Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER AND AP PHOTOS

President Benigno Aquino III made no mention of Chief Justice Renato Corona by name but the sarcasm in his voice and his reference to long speeches that supposedly have no substance left no doubt he was taking a potshot at the country’s top magistrate.

Speaking on Thursday before bureaucrats at the National Career Advocacy Congress, Mr. Aquino began with an ad lib about keeping one’s message succinct.

“I stress in the Cabinet to keep it short, direct to the point … We can do away with the speeches especially when we don’t say anything meaningful while we speak lengthily,” he said.

Then he went into his prepared speech, “lest I be accused of saying nothing after speaking for three hours.”

The President’s mention of “three hours” was obviously an allusion to the length of Corona’s statement in his trial on Tuesday, during which Corona defended his bank accounts, lambasted relatives and accused Mr. Aquino of getting back at him after the high court voted to distribute Hacienda Luisita, which the Aquino clan owns.

Unanswered questions

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters Corona’s statement proved nothing.

“He failed to answer the questions that were raised by those who followed the impeachment trial,” Valte said.

“While the existence of the foreign currency deposits have been established before his testimony, the questions that remain include how much is in those accounts and whether it was declared in his [statement of assets, liabilities and net worth],” she added.

Originally posted at 01:01 pm | Thursday, May 24,  2012