Miriam threatens media, pollsters with contempt for surveys on Corona impeachment

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday warned pollsters and the media that may be cited for contempt if they continue to conduct and publicize surveys in connection with the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

 

"If they continue [with these surveys] para bang sabi nila sa akin balewala naman yung pinagsasasabi mo, you’re only one of the 23 [senators]. Kung ganun ang attitude nila, I will be compelled dahil sa ilalim ng ating rules of court, the court itself can motu propio, meaning on its own, initiative file a petition for indirect contempt," Santiago told reporters in an interview over the phone.

 

"Don’t push the envelope too far because I might react dahil sa akin, this is really sacrilege," she added.

 

Polling firm Pulse Asia earlier released a survey saying 47 percent of their respondents think Corona was guilty of the charges lodged against him before the Senate sitting as the impeachment court.

 

Santiago, however, said these types of surveys are "very destructive" of the judicial process because the judicial branch is supposed to be independent of even public opinion.  

 

"That is why you have that image of the blindfolded lady of justice. We don’t see or hear or say anything except the law," she said.

 

Because of this, the feisty senator said the media can also be held in contempt if it attempts to publish anything that tends to influence the mind of  a judge "in the guise of publishing public opinion."

 

"The media do not have the authority under any law whatsoever or under any semblance of law to influence the mind of a judge. A judge is supposed to be a vacuum. His mind is supposed to be empty of any factor except the evidence that he received in court," she said.

 

She likewise said that there should only be "forthright reporting" of what actually took place in court and that there should be no comments on the merits of the case from columnists or commentators.

 

"Any conduct of media which tends directly or indirectly impede, obstruct or degrade the administration of justice is a subject to contempt power of the court," she said.

 

Earlier in the day, an alliance of student councils released the results of surveys conducted in five universities in the country which indicate that there is high distrust of Corona among college students.   Representatives of the alliance had said that they were not afraid of Santiago because it is within their rights to conduct such surveys. — RSJ, GMA News