Lower House Impeach Chief Justice Renato Corona, Senate Trial Soon

CJ Renato Corona Impeachment

Chief Justice Corona's close ties with former President Gloria Arroyo may cause his removal as the chief of the Supreme Court. in a lightning move by majority members of the House of Representatives, the impeachment complaint was agreed and will be forwarded to the Senate for the next stage in the impeachment process. Although the hearing in the Senate will commence next year because they are already on a holiday break said Senate President Franklin Drilon.

188 of the 284 Congressmen voted to put the Chief Justice on trial. Opposition lawmakers tried to block the impeachment but they don't have the numbers. Congressman Edcel Lagman said that it was the mother of all blackmails citing that there are a lot of Congressmen who were coerced to sign the impeachment.

There were 8 complaints filed against Chief Justice Renato Corona. The grounds for the impeachment are as follows:

- midnight appointee of former President Arroyo and showed partiality in case where Arroyo is involved
- the CJ's approval of Supreme court ruling giving a temporary restraining order on the watch list order imposed by the Department of Justice.
- failed to account for the judiciary development fund and special allowance for the judiciary.
- issuing a "status quo ante" against the House of Representatives when former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez was being impeached.
- ruling of the supreme court in the creation of 6 cities and the promotion of Dinagat island into a province.
- creating a committee to investigate a Supreme Court justice and exonerate him of any liability.
- the Chief Justice failed to disclose his statement of assets and liabilities (SAL)

According to the lawmakers who initiated the complaint together with other complainants which include a former lawmaker, a whistle blower and anti-Arroyo group, Chief Justice Renato Corona is not a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence. thus should be impeached.

If you want to read the summary of the impeachment complaint against Chief Justine Renato Corona, below is the link:


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/12/12/11/summary-impeachment-complaint-vs-cj-corona