Palace exec: PNoy can say whatever he wants about Corona trial
President Benigno Aquino III can express whatever he wants in the ongoing impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona as he is not a party to the proceedings, a Malacañang spokesperson said Friday.
“The President may be the President but he also has the right to express his position on certain things that involve the nation,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing.
“There has been no formal gag order that has been issued. And even then technically, the President is not a party to the impeachment,” she added.
Valte said the admonition of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile not to discuss the merits of the case was intended to the prosecution and defense panel.
She further said the senator-judges are independent enough not to be influenced by any statements.
“We believe that the senator-judges are fairly independent for them to make their own assessment of the evidence that is brought before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court,” she said.
Valte said Aquino has no intentions of agitating the people to go against Corona, but only wants them to be informed of the developments [in the trial and] for them to take a stand.
“It is more of telling the people that you should also be interested, you should make a stand, you should form your own opinion based on your own understanding of what is happening,” she said.
“It is more of telling the people that you should also be interested, you should make a stand, you should form your own opinion based on your own understanding of what is happening,” she said.
Pulong bayan
During a pulong bayan with students at La Consolacion College Manila Thursday, Aquino criticized anew Corona for the mismatch between the chief magistrate's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and money in bank.
Aquino clarified, however, that there was nothing personal in Corona's impeachment.
Aquino clarified, however, that there was nothing personal in Corona's impeachment.
“Lilinawin ko lang po: Walang personalan dito; sistemang pangkatarungan ang ipinaglalaban dito. At dahil malaki ang pagbabagong ating hinahangad, malaki rin po ang kinakabangga natin,” he said.
Aquino said his duty is to serve justice and put balance in the society as he urged the public to stand by the truth.
“Papayag ba tayo na magpatuloy ang sistema kung saan may nanlalamang at nilalamangan? Hahayaan ba nating magkatotoo ang sinasabing dalawang mukha ng katarungan sa Pilipinas – isa para sa makapangyarihan, at iba para sa mga nasa laylayan? Kuntento ka bang hindi patas ang laban? Hindi ba sulit na ituwid ang ganitong klaseng kalakaran? 'Di po ba't malinaw po ang mga alituntuning kailangang sundin ng lahat?” Aquino said.
But Corona's camp appealed to Aquino not to jump into conclusions with his public pronouncements.
But Corona's camp appealed to Aquino not to jump into conclusions with his public pronouncements.
"Umpisa pa lang po tayo ng paglilitis. Ang prosecution pa lang ang nagbibigay ng ebidensiya," Jimeno said in an interview on GMA News TV's "Balitanghali" last Thursday.
"Bago tayo maghusga, pakinggan muna natin ang panig ng nasasakdal. Nasa demokrasya pa naman po tayo kaya nga tayo may proseso ng paglilitis," she added.
Arroyo-Corona ties
Arroyo-Corona ties
Corona was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in April 2002. Corona was served as Mrs. Arroyo’s spokesperson and chief of staff while she was still vice president.
In 2010, a few weeks before Mrs. Arroyo stepped down from office, Corona was named chief justice despite a ban on midnight appointments.
Aquino, who then won the presidency, never fully recognized the legitimacy of Corona’s appointment.
In December last year, a total of 188 members of the House of Representatives agreed to swiftly impeach the chief justice for alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and graft and corruption. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News
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