Corona camp on possible 2nd impeach complaint: Laughable, shameful

A defense lawyer of embattled Chief Justice Renato Corona on Thursday said lodging a second impeachment complaint against the chief magistrate would only work against those who would file it.

 

Jose "Judd" Roy III issued the statement following Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales' admission during the impeachment trial on Tuesday that she would not hesitate to file fresh charges against Corona "if warranted" in case he gets an acquittal.

 

"Kapag pinilit pa nila ang second complaint, katawa-tawa na sila. Ang mga kalaban ni CJ, katawa-tawa na sila, nakakahiya na iyon," Roy told reporters at the Supreme Court shortly after attending a novena Mass to celebrate Corona's second year as chief justice.

 

Roy said he and the other defense lawyers still do not find the need to prepare for a possible second impeachment complaint, adding they are still focused on the current one.

 

Roy acknowledged that critics would stop at nothing just to pin down Corona and remove him from office.

 

"Hinahanapan nila ng butas hanggang makuha nila ang gusto nila... Hindi sila titigil na gamitin ang impluwensiya at kapangyarihan laban kay chief justice," he said.

 

Earlier in the day, Corona hinted that he was prepared to face fresh impeachment charges against him. "See you next year," the chief magistrate said, when asked what was his message to his critics.

 

Corona could be refering to the one-year ban before the filing of another impeachment complaint against an impeachable official. 

 

A new complaint against him, in case he is acquitted in the ongoing trial, can only be leveled in December 2012, or exactly a year after the current complaint was filed by the House of Representatives. Corona is facing charges of culpable constitutional violation, betrayal of public trust, and graft and corruption.

 

For his part, lawyer Bodjie Bonifacio expressed doubts that Corona's critics would file a second complaint against him. 

 

"Kung i-acquit si chief justice ngayon, wala nang ifa-file sa December kasi kung baga ang isang tao, puwede lang siya mapahiya once. Hindi na niya iri-risk mapahiya pa uli," Bonifacio said.

 

Bonifacio joined a group of farm workers of Hacienda Luisita who came all the way from Tarlac and members of urban poor groups, who expressed their support to Corona during a novena Mass at the Supreme Court grounds in Manila. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News