Senators not affected by Pulse Asia survey on Corona guilt

Several senator-judges on Tuesday said they are not affected by the recent Pulse Asia survey that said 47 percent of Filipinos believe that Chief Justice Renato Corona was guilty of the allegations made against him before the impeachment court.

 

In separate interviews on Tuesday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, and Sen. Edgardo Angara said they will make their decision based on the evidence presented before them and not on any survey.

 

"Wala [pressure] I will decide it according to the evidence and nothing more," he told reporters during an interview on Tuesday.

 

"I'm not concerned about surveys when it concerns the administration of justice.  We are administering justice here," he added.

 

Enrile even cited as a "survey" gone wrong the case of Jesus Christ, who was crucified even though he was not found guilty of any crime.

 

"The classic case of surveys that was wrong is the man on the cross [Jesus Christ] who was the product of a survey.  He was judged by a survey and until now people are worshiping him," he said.

 

However, Honasan and Sotto said that Corona's fate will not be decided by public perception.

 

"[The] culpability of the chief justice will not be determined by surveys or by public opinion.  It will be decided by the senator-judges individually and collectively," said Honasan.

 

"Iba ang sinasabi sa publiko ng kahit sino.  Madaling magsalita at madaling mag-imbento pag hindi under oath mahirap.  Kaya mas mabuting dito makinig sa impeachment court kung ano ang kalalabasan dito.  Yun dapat ang maging basis ng desisyon ng isang senator-judge," added Sotto.

 

Enrile added that if they were going to decide cases based on surveys, then there would be no need for courts.

 

"All we have to do is conduct surveys whenever somebody is charged," he said.

 

Sotto, for his part, just advised his fellow senators to just focus on the merits of the case.

 

"Hindi kami dapat apektado ng kahit anong sinasabi sa labas ng impeachment court...so yung survey na sinasabi mo mas mabuting walang comment na lang kami diyan," he said.

 

He likewise advised everyone to just follow the example of President Benigno Aquino III, who said he will no longer meddle with the impeachment.

 

"Dapat sumunod na sila wag na nilang pakialaman din at wag na silang magsalita para hindi makagulo sa mga usapin," Sotto said. — VVP, GMA News