The prelude to Corona’s impeachment?

By Atty. Dodo Dulay

Was Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona’s “secret” meeting with President Aquino sometime in July 2010 – shortly after the President was sworn into office by then Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales—the mainspring of Corona’s impeachment trial? This is the question that came to mind after Corona revealed during our “Karambola sa DWIZ” radio show last week that he talked to the President at the house of Aquino’s eldest sister, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, during a lunch meeting arranged by a retired SC justice, and also attended by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.

In the Karambola interview, Corona recounted that the retired justice told him the President was inviting him to a meeting and instructed him to leave behind his driver, security escorts and vehicle because they would be taking the retired magistrate’s car to the meeting place.

“When we were all done with lunch, the executive secretary and the justice stood up and went outside for a cigarette break. President Noynoy and I were left alone,” Corona said. “We talked. He asked me what I thought of his plan to create a Truth Commission that would run after this and that person. I told him, ‘Mr. President, for me if there’s evidence then we should proceed since that’s our role in the judiciary. But we should abide by the Constitution and the requirement of the law,” he recalled.

Corona’s exposé earned a quick retort from Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda who admitted the “secret” meeting between Aquino and the Chief Justice but denied that the President consulted Corona on the creation of the Truth Commission. Lacierda’s disclaimer is expected and if I may add, hearsay, since he wasn’t even at the meeting. What I find more perplexing though is Lacierda’s statement that the President agreed to meet with Corona because the President wanted the give the Chief Justice a chance to “prove” his impartiality.

So why does Corona— who is the chief of the judicial branch—have to prove anything to the head of the executive branch? Is Lacierda saying that Corona should do what the Palace expects in order to “prove” his impartiality? Or that the Chief Justice should kowtow to the wishes of Malacañang under pain of impeachment?

Last time I heard, we’re still a republican state with three co-equal branches of government that serve as a system of checks and balances. But then again, maybe Lacierda was just being candid about what Malacañang wants all government officials in the present administration to do. Is this why some SC hopefuls, senator-judges and congressmen are tripping over themselves trying to please “the powers that be”?