Jinggoy, Drilon: P50M given to senators who voted to convict Corona 'not a bribe'

Both Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday said the P50 million in additional funds given to senators who voted to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona was not meant as a bribe.

"It was not a bribe. It was never a bribe. Kung baga walang suhol," Estrada said during interpellations on his privilege speech.

Estrada, who was one of the senators who voted for Corona's conviction, however said that "somebody approached" him to support the former chief magistrate's ouster. The senator, however, did not identify this person.

During his privilege speech, Estrada said the additional P50-million allocation for senators who voted to oust Corona was "provided in a private and confidential letter" from Drilon, who was Senate finance committee chairperson at the time.

Drilon, for his part, said that he "may have" actually issued the confidential letter. He however added that the disbursement of these funds are public and subject to audit.

He added that these funds were not meant as "rewards" for senators who voted for Corona's conviction, but as a means of meeting the government's spending targets.

"Anyone could have suggested that certain projects could be undertaken. The spending targets were necessary to meet our gross domestic product targets because public spending is a major portion of our GDP," Drilon said.

Corona was convicted by the Senate impeachment court on May 29, 2012 for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution. The vote was 20 for conviction and three for acquittal.

Those who voted for Corona's conviction at the time were:
 
-Edgardo Angara
-Alan Peter Cayetano
-Pia Cayetano
-Franklin Drilon
-Francis Escudero
-Jinggoy Estrada
-Teofisto Guingona III
-Gregorio Honasan II
-Panfilo Lacson
-Lito Lapid
-Loren Legarda
-Sergio Osmeña III
-Francis Pangilinan
-Aqulino "Koko" Pimentel III
-Ralph Recto
-Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.
-Vicente Sotto III
-Antonio Trillanes IV
-Manuel Villar, and
-Juan Ponce Enrile.

Those who voted to acquit Corona were:

-Joker Arroyo
-Miriam Defensor-Santiago
-Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — BM, GMA News