The ‘teleserye’-like (soap opera-like) impeachment trial of the Chief Justice Renato Corona had a very anti-climatic 40th day. On the day when the CJ Corona had a chance to clear his name, he suffered, according to his lawyers, hypoglycemia and was not able to continue direct examination and cross examination. An apparent walk-out was believed to be an attempt by CJ Corona to leave the senate premises. Half an hour later, he came back to the session hall slumped and on a wheelchair. This was viewed by prosecutors and anti-Corona groups as an attempt to avoid being cross-examined. Later that night, he was brought to a hospital and at about 1AM, he was brought to the ICU.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, angry over the apparent disrespect by CJ Corona when he left the witness stand without permission, threatened to strike out his testimony so far, if he doesn’t come back Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
But amid the drama, the Chief Justice brought out a challenge to the 188 congressmen who impeached him as well as Senator Franklin Drilon, who at times during previous sessions, seemed to be “lawyering” for the prosecution. Corona signed in front of the senator-judges a waiver authorizing the release of all his bank records and other assets. He will submit the waiver if the 188 congressmen and Senator Drilon would also sign the same waiver he had prepared for them. He said that by signing the waiver, it would be in line with the President’s goal for transparency.
Senator Drilon called Corona “pathetic” and refused to “go down to his level”. None of the 188 congressmen has committed yet to sign the waiver. Those interviewed by media simply say that they are not the ones on trial and do not need to sign any waiver.
If the government files cases 189 cases in order to see if they properly declared their SALNs and assuming that each case would go on for 5 months each, it would take almost 80 years to complete the exercise. If multiple cases are tried, say 10 of them simultaneously, it would take 8 years.
So for practicality, the 188 congressmen and Sen. Drilon should sign the waivers and prove to the Filipino people that they themselves are not guilty of all the charges they have thrown at the chief justice.
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