April 23, 2012
BY AMADO P. MACASAET
MALAYA
MALAYA
‘President Aquino wants the independence of the Court restored. There is no way of doing it except the conviction of Chief Justice Corona.’
PRESIDENT Aquino is slowly but steadily being blamed for what critics say is his failure to make the economy grow. That is not exactly groundless. But an economic miracle cannot happen in less than two years of his watch.
What appears to be the President’s battle cry is eliminate corruption that has been the hallmark of Gloria Arroyo’s nine-year no-mandate presidency. If he succeeds – there is no reason why he should not – everything in the economy should fall in place.
There would hardly be any need to lure local and foreign investments. The elimination of corruption and sending to jail the corrupt is the only way to level the playing field.
Not too many realized that the President is clearly determined to get the Senate to convict Chief Justice Renato C. Corona as the only way Gloria Arroyo may be held liable for numerous cases of plunder she now faces. Only the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Corona can save her. But she should not be saved. She must be tried and tried fairly.
People feel that may not happen for as long as the Supreme Court, packed with her appointees, headed by Chief Justice Renato Corona, majority of whom will be in office a year or so after Mr. Aquino steps down in 2016.
There is an absolute necessity to show the Filipino and the world that democracy in this country can be made genuine and truly functional by sending a perceived corrupt leader behind the slammer.
We need not recite the number of corrupt leaders of the world who were jailed in punishment for their grievous offenses that halted the development of the economy.
Their names are too many to mention here.
Suffice it to say that the President Aquino is supported by his people in bringing to reality his lone battle cry of “Matuwid na Daan” or loosely translated – honest and clean government.
The surveys on his acceptance prove him right. His rating remains high while the same survey suggests that 73 percent of the people want Mr. Corona convicted in the impeachment trial.
It is a simple doctrine of “vox populi, vox Dei”, the voice of the people is the voice of God. The Supreme Court itself used this doctrine in legitimizing the regime of Gloria Arroyo even while Joseph Estrada was still in Malacañang and was not even on leave.
Strengthened by uncontroverted evidence of Corona’s wrongdoing, the senators sitting as judges in the impeachment court, may apply the same doctrine in convicting the Chief Justice.
Conviction is a godly duty. It is good politics. It benefits the country.
Ordinary mortals like us look up to the leader for guidance. We need to see a leader, not necessarily the most brilliant of minds, but one who is undoubtedly sincere of purpose and possessed with a big heart.
This is what we see – so far anyway – in Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III. He has not been distracted from the mission of fighting corruption. That means trying Gloria Arroyo in a Supreme Court headed by someone whose only duty is to defend the Constitution at all costs, not to ensure that Gloria Arroyo walks from the heinous crimes she is accused of.
I am prepared to welcome the acquittal of Mrs. Arroyo by the Supreme Court under another Chief Justice, not one who knows only too well that be lent himself to the “violation” of the Constitution by his peers by accepting a midnight appointment.
The ruling penned by Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin removes the respect of people that the Supreme Court is right even when it is wrong. The ruling is patently wrong. But since it has been promulgated, the only way to undo it is remove from office the person who benefited most from it – Chief Justice Renato C. Corona. This is not evidence in the impeachment court. But it is moral reason to convict.
His conviction will ensure the fair trial of Gloria Arroyo. In this sense, Gloria Arroyo is also under trial.
Nothing makes the economy grow better than equal justice for all. We have to see a former president tried fairly not under a Chief Justice she picked to ensure she walks from her various alleged heinous crimes.
The choice of Mr. Corona, made possible by violating the Constitutional prohibition against making appointments to the judiciary during a national election period, is clear proof of Mrs. Arroyo’s tacit admission that she may be found guilty by a Supreme Court loyal only to the Constitution and not to her.
There lies the necessity of convicting the Chief Justice. Clearly for want of anything to say in his defense, Mr. Corona repeatedly asserts that President Aquino is out to destroy the independence of the Judiciary.
When will he and his supporters ever understand that it was he and Gloria Arroyo who destroyed the integrity and independence of the Highest Court? President Aquino wants the independence of the Court restored.
There is no way of doing it except the conviction of Chief Justice Corona. He did not participate in arriving at the ruling that Gloria Arroyo can make an appointment to the judiciary during a prohibited period.
He did not have to. He knew that he and Gloria Arroyo would be the biggest beneficiaries of that decision. If the senator judges acquit the Chief Justice they would have lent themselves to the complete deconstruction of the judiciary.
They will have to answer to the people, 73 percent of whom want Mr. Corona convicted.
If, as Mr. Corona declares, President Aquino wants the judiciary’s independence destroyed, 73 percent of the people are just as wrong. The doctrine of “vox populi, vox Dei” becomes inapplicable.
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