Palace still supports Miriam as ICC judge

Malacañang on Thursday clarified that it continues to support Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago as a judge in the International Criminal Court despite the lady senator’s vote not to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona during the impeachment trial.

 

“The nomination had been borne out of the record of the senator and that we did push for Senator Santiago and she’s already there. I think it should end there,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing.

  

Santiago was one of three senators who voted for the acquittal of Corona. The other two were Senators Joker Arroyo and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

 

Valte said the senator’s decision should be respected.

 

She also denied that Malacañang would strike back at those who did not vote for Corona’s conviction.

 

On Tuesday, voting 20-3, the Senate sitting as impeachment court convicted Chief Justice Renato Corona for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution.

 

The court ruled that Corona was guilty of Article II of the impeachment complaint: the chief magistrate did not fully disclose his assets in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALN.

 

President Benigno Aquino III wanted Corona out of the Supreme Court saying the latter was an obstacle to the judicial reforms the administration wanted to implement.

 

In December last year, Santiago was elected as one of the ICC judges but she deferred taking her oath scheduled last March 9 because of her health. — DVM, GMA News