Renato Corona insisted that this impeachment trial against him is not a personal battle but a battle to preserve the independence of the Judiciary. It is baffling why Corona is dragging the entire judiciary when in fact it is he and he alone who is tried for impeachment?
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If a lower court Judge is expected to be fair and independent, then how much more if one is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? But the question is, how can Corona be independent when according to Senator Frank Drilon, Corona’s scoreboard is 19-0 in all cases which involve Corona’s former mentor Gloria Arroyo?
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That voting record could well become the basis why Corona can be considered a rear guard of Arroyo, as cases are piling up against her. A Chief Justice should be a fair person, ruling a particular case based on law and not blind partisanship and loyalty.
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Besides, Corona’s close relationship with Arroyo alone could cast doubts as to his impartiality in deciding cases involving her. Corona was given more than a year to show to the people that he is capable of deciding cases even adverse to Gloria Arroyo. But no, Corona scored 19-0 for Arroyo thereby further raising the suspicion that he is favoring Arroyo who was his former mentor.
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Those who said that impeachment is an attack against the Judiciary must review their law. Impeachment is a process of removal of a public official as part of the checks and balance system of our republican government. If everytime someone is impeached and called it an attack against their institution, then that would render nugatory the Constitutional provision on impeachment. Meaning to say that everytime a Justice of the Supreme COurt is impeached, automatically it is an attack against the Judiciary? So that would mean the Judiciary is above the Constitution, it is untouchable and it cannot be held accountable because to do so would be construed as against its independence.
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If the budget of the Judiciary is scrutinized, the argument is that it is again an attack on the fiscal autonomy of the judiciary. If one of its Justices is impeached, it is an attack against its independence? So how would the Supreme Court be made accountable to the people if that would be the case? That would eventually make the Supreme Court the most powerful branch of our government. What is ironic is that its members are not elected by the people and yet it acts like it is king in the government.
