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Sunday, February 19, 2012

P-Noy Lambasts Corona

SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH
By Ernesto M. Maceda
(The Philippine Star)
Updated February 18, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (24)

It is no longer Sen. Frank Drilon lawyering for the prosecution. Their lead counsel is now President Noynoy Aquino himself as he blasted Chief Justice Corona and even the Senate in a speech at La Consolacion College at Mendiola, Manila.

The President sideswiped the Senate and was implying people power when he asked “Are we going to let a few decide for all of us?” This is a veiled threat that he will not accept a Senate verdict to acquit Corona. Recall the previous talk of a plan “B”.

In his most vicious attack yet on Corona, the President said the following:

1. “The question is simple. Can we trust Mr. Corona?”

2. “Chief Justice Renato Corona’s failure to fully declare his multi-million peso bank accounts is sufficient basis to remove him from his post.”

3. “You (Corona) are not above the law. You cannot toy around with the country’s laws just because you head the judiciary.”

4. On Corona’s promise to declare his dollar deposits in due time, the President asked “When is the due time? I think that is already overdue.”

5. “It is as clear as daylight. Mr. Corona, you are under oath when you declared your SALN and this does not reflect your true assets. P3.5 million does not equal P31.5 million. So what is the truth, Mr. Corona?”

6. “We will have a hard time implementing reforms in the judiciary should the impeachment court favor Corona.”

7. “As the truth comes out, the reasons why Mr. Corona is hiding his SALN in a vault are becoming clear. It’s clearer than the light of day Mr. Corona, that the declaration you swore isn’t consistent with what has been discovered to be your assets.”

8. “If you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide. Until now, he continues to hide his dollar accounts.”

It is clearer than the light of day that President Aquino is lawyering for the prosecution, is now also a spokesperson for the prosecution, and is publicly pressuring the Senate to vote to impeach CJ Corona.

Is this the fair trial he promised? Isn’t it improper to go into specific issues and details being discussed at the impeachment court? Didn’t he publicly pressure the Senate when he called on them to overrule the SC TRO against the opening of dollar deposits?

In the light of all of this, it is not far-fetched that P100 million, maybe much more, will be offered to get the conviction he so badly wants. Will the Senate wilt? The independence of the Senate is now a real issue.

DAY 19. . . It was not a boring day as Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago continued to lecture prosecution lawyers. Day 19 saw Sen. Loren Legarda getting PSBank Branch Manager Anabelle Tiongson to admit that QC Congressman Jorge Banal had visited her at the bank on January 31 to ask for help to confirm the dollar deposits of Chief Justice Corona, showing a photocopied document similar to the Annex A submitted by Congressman Rey Umali on Feb. 2 which he claimed was given by an anonymous “short lady.”

Day 19 had Senator Serge Osmeña getting PSBank President Pascual Garcia admit that CJ Corona had 2 other peso accounts with opening balances of P7 million and P17 million. Osmeña also got Garcia and Tiongson to testify that CJ Corona closed down 3 bank accounts on Dec. 12, the day the impeachment case was filed.

Congressman Jorge Banal voluntarily appeared to explain why he visited the PSBank branch at Katipunan Avenue on Jan. 31. This time, like Cong. Rey Umali, he claimed the photocopied bank document was left at his house gate.

Sen. President Juan Ponce Enrile took pains to get Garcia and Tiongson to explain how bank records are filed, controlled and protected.

It was a good day for the prosecution.

* * *

GOOD “SON-IN-LAW”. . . President Noynoy Aquino is so in love, so smitten with Grace Lee according to his closest friends, that he has now gone to the extent of asking the public to respect the privacy of his prospective mother-in-law, a grocery store owner.

The President made the appeal at the Town Hall meeting at La Consolacion College after a law student asked him on the status of his relationship with Korean Grace Lee. He said it was “doing well”. Good for you, Mr. President. At least, you have someone to relieve your stress.

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