Corona, other impeach players pay tribute to ‘genuine legal giant’ Cuevas

(Updated 7:19 p.m.) For the first time since he was unseated by a Senate impeachment court in 2012, ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona revealed what his lead defense lawyer retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas – whom he fondly calls as "Ka Apin" – had told him after his conviction.

 

"Noong kami ay natalo na sa hatol ng Senado, hindi ko malilimutam ang binitiwan niyang salita sa akin: sa Korte Suprema sa kabilang buhay, isa lamang ang nakaupong Maghuhusga, na Siyang may alam ng tunay na naganap na hindi ayon sa katarungan doon sa huwad na impeachment trial na iyon," said Corona.

 

Corona said this on Monday to demonstrate how his former lead defender in the trial – even up to the last years of his life – had remained steadfast in holding on to his strong faith and beliefs.

 

Cuevas passed away Sunday night at the age of 85.

 

"Tama nga pala si Ka Apin ... sa kabila ng lungkot sa papananaw niya, may kagalakan ding naghahari sa aking puso at damdamin na siya'y nasa piling na ng ating Mahal na Panginoon na nagbigay sa amin ng pagkakataong makipaglaban para sa aming mga adhikain at paniniwala, sa Rule of Law at pantay-pantay na kapangyarihan ng tatlong sangay ng gobyerno," Corona said.

 

Cuevas came in the impeachment picture after Corona had asked him to lead a team of laywers to defend him against accusations he amassed ill-gotten wealth while in public office. Corona, however, lost the case and ended up being the first chief justice in Philippine history to be kicked out of office.

 

The former chief magistrate admitted that his relationship with the 85-year-old former SC associate justice had gone beyond the usual client-lawyer relationship.

"Masasabi ko na higit pa dito, siya'y tumindig na ama sa akin. Binigyan niya ako ng tatag at lakas ng loob upang ipaglaban ang tama at makatarungan," said Corona.

 

Tranquil Salvador III, a member of Corona's defense team who served as its spokesman, recalled how Cuevas accomodated the opinion of every member of the panel.

 

"As the leader of the group, consensus building was important for him. The view of everyone in the team matters to him," Salvador told GMA News Online.

Legal giant

 

Even those from the other side of the fence – the prosecution team – only had kind words to say about Cuevas.

 

Describing Cuevas as a "genuine legal giant," Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, who served as the prosecution panel's spokesperson, recalled how the former SC justice was the "only reason" their task of prosecuting Corona became difficult.

"Pinahirapan nya talaga kami," Quimbo said in a statement.

 

"I had the rare benefit of seeing this man in action. He was truly old-school: he had mastery of the law, knowledge of legal procedure like the back of his hand, and the oratorical prowess of a debate champion. He had an uncommon sense of timing and very lethal killer instinct," he said.

 

"His loyalty to his client was unquestionable. Yet, in my mind, what made him more impressive was his humility outside the courtroom," he added.

Brilliant teacher

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said while Cuevas has been known to the younger generation for his role in the Corona impeachment trial, he has been long known for his brilliance in teaching law at the University of the Philippines.

"His classes in remedial law were master classes and every student who sat through his classes, regardless of the grade they got, would have one conclusion: he was a brilliant teacher," Sereno said in a statement.

The chief justice added: "He was also an erudite gentleman of the old school, speaking always with his words distinctly enunciated and always preferring the elegant language of the law to the often crude lingo of contemporary society."

Sereno also noted that Cuevas' character and influence has "transcended" generations.

"He made a mark not only on students of my generation but, as the many messages of condolence from a much younger generation flood into social media sites would show, also on students of this generation," she said. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News