Roxas defends Aquino hand in Corona impeachment

Video by Noy Morcoso

“The Judiciary is not Corona and Corona is not the entire Judiciary.”

Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II maintained this as Vice President Jejomar Binay lashed out at President Benigno Aquino III and his administration for meddling in the impeachment of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.

Binay said the impeachment of Corona was a scheme of “hard-headed” Aquino for his allies to stay in power for 18 years and eventually establish a dictatorial government.

“Iisa lang ang malinaw dito: malabo ang mga dahilan ni Vice President Binay sa banat niya kay Pangulong Aquino sa pagsusulong ng impeachment laban kay Renato Corona (Only one thing is clear: that the motive behind Vice President Binay’s criticism against President Aquino’s support for the impeachment of Renato Corana is questionable). The Judiciary is not Corona and Corona is not the entire Judiciary,” Roxas said in a statement on Wednesday.

READ: I advised hard-headed Aquino on Corona, other key issues—Binay

Roxas stressed that even the staunchest allies of Binay voted to unseat Corona.

“Alam ng lahat na nasunod ang proseso ng batas sa pagtanggal sa puwesto ni Corona (Everyone knows that the rule of law was followed in the ouster of Corona). In the face of overwhelming evidence, the impeachment court found that Corona had millions of pesos and properties that were not declared in his SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) and outside of his lawful income as a government employee,” he said.

In May 2012, Corona was convicted under Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment for failing to declare his questionable properties in his SALN.

READ: Senate votes 20-3 to convict Corona

In a radio interview on Tuesday, Binay said Aquino’s tinkering with the Corona impeachment would make him like that of a “dictator” as he would violate the separation of powers among three equal branches of government.

“Ang paglilitis alinsunod sa batas ay hindi kawalan ng respeto. Kapag naging pangulo siya, ibig sabihin ba nito ay hindi siya kikilos laban sa mga tiwaling judge, senador, congressman kahit ga-bundok na ang ebidensiya dahil sa baluktot niyang paraan ng pagrespeto sa mga institusyon?” Roxas said.

(Litigation is provided by law and is not the absence of respect. When one becomes president, should he not act against corrupt judges, senators and congressmen despite heaps of evidence just because he blindly respects institutions?) IDL