(Some of the) Minutes of the Impeachment

As a young, Filipino citizen, it was a privilege for me to witness a historic event in the history of Philippine politics. Well, I was already born when the Edsa II Revolution happened, but I wasn't yet very aware how big it's impact is to society.

So, while I was listening early on to the Impeachment Trial last May 29, 2012 where the Senator Judges will be giving their vote whether or not to convict or acquit Chief Justice Renato Corona, I tried my best to put down in this entry the Senator's points about the reason why they casted their votes.

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Basis of Impeachment: Articles of Impeachment Nos. 2, 3, and 7

Angara:

• GUILTY

Arroyo:

• Impeachment is a political process not a political assassination.
• Impeachment must forever uphold due process.
• What started in the house was not an impeachment…
• I cannot imagine removing a Chief Justice on account of a SALN.
• ACQUIT

Cayetano, Alan:

• Sino ba ang nagsasabi ng katotohonan? Ano ba ang katotohonan, base sa ebidensiyang ipinresenta sa korteng ito?
• Wag nating komplikado ang simpleng-simple.
• Pati ba naman sa pera, may diskriminasyon?
• GUILTY

Cayetano, Pia:

• The failure to declare something pesos/dollars is not minor.
• Private interest over public interest
• Public office is a public trust. Pag nawala na ang tiwala ng taong-bayan, dapat po bumaba na sa pwesto.
• Those in public service should not hide behind our titles.
• GUILTY

Defensor-Santiago

• There is no conflict between the constitution and the foreign currency act.
• Misinterpreting the constitution!
• Anong susunod sa ating desisyon?
• ACQUITAL

Drilon

• Respond admits that he did not declare the 2.4M dollars and 180M pesos
• GUILTY

Escudero

• While I do not approve of the manner how the House of Representatives in filing the impeachment,
• Ang pinagbabawalan ng FCDU law na hindi magrelease ng bank deposit accounts ay ang banko at hindi ang depositor.
• Si CJ ang kauna-unahang opisyal na nag-execute na pumirma ng waiver para buksan ang kanyang bank accounts.
• Panahon na para itaas natin ang antas ng  pamantayan sa mga namamahala ng ating bayan.
• Hinahamon ko ang lahat ng ating kasamahan sa Senado, gayundin sa Kongreso, na gawin din ang (pagpirma ng waiver  para pahintulutang buksan ang bank accounts).
• GUILTY

Ejercito-Estrada

• Opening is about Former Estrada's Impeachment Trial.
• The CJ did not include in his SALN, 2.4M dollars and 80M pesos.
• The CJ is a learned man of law.
• Bilang CJ, sya dapat ang may higit na alam at pag-unawa sa batas na walang bahid na pagtatakip o interes.
• GUILTY

Guingona

• Ang aking boto ay para sa kasagraduhan ng Saligang Batas.
• Idedelara lang ba ito kung kelan gugustuhin ng opisyal?
• How could one man use the very same constitution which mandates full disclosure
• GUILTY

Honasan

• GUILTY
• I wish you strenght and honor, Mr. CJ

Lacson

• GUILTY

Lapid

• GUILTY

Legarda

• On betraying public trust
• Wala po akong nakikitang dahilan para po hindi ipatupad ang parehong batas na ito sa isang punong mahistrado. We are guided by a basic principle of equal representation of the law.
• GUILTY

Marcos

• Predisposing the public minds against the Chief Justice
• ACQUIT

Osmena

• But nowhere in the FCDU not allows the depositor to disclose his deposits.
• Cites different court cases regarding undeclaration of assets in SALN in which all respondents were found guilty.
• Higher level of moral standard in government!
• GUILTY

Pangilinan

• Inconsistency of SALN Report and CJ's testimony on stand
• Anong masama kung ideklara niya lahat kung wala naman siyang itinatago?
• Base sa ebidensya, maliwanag na may sistematikong pagtatago ng ari-arian.
• Sa paglilitis na ito, nakita din natin ang pagkatao ni Chief Justice.
• Kayang pagiging sakim ng kanyang mga kamag-anak
• Ang pag-walk-out sa court room mismo
• Siya ba ay pagkakatiwalaan pa ba na rumespeto sa ating mga kababayan sa loob ng anim na taon?

• Impeachable case ba ang pagsisinungaling?
• GUILTY

Pimentel

• There is no law on exclusion of co-mingled funds in declaration in the SALN.
• Converted to Philippine Peso!
• GUILTY

Recto

• Logic dictates that we have sensed the slight inaccuracies…
• Let's go back to our programming where hard, unheralded work is done behind the camera lights. Let's set our priorities back again.
• GUILTY

Revilla

• To be an epitome of a public servant with the highest ethical standards.
• The CJ failed to properly disclose all of his assets in the SALN.
• GUILTY

Sotto

• GUILTY

Trillanes

• From now on, no one is untouchable.
• GUILTY

Villar

• Naawa din ako kay Corona.
• GUILTY

Enrile

• This trial began in insolvent behind a backdrop of a highly emotional atmosphere.
• The culmination of this national drama is at hang. And the time has come for me to render judgment from me.
• As I lawyer, I must confess that I was really frustrated by the hasty crafting that characterized the presentation which contained the articles of impeachment… it was built up only after the charges have been filed.
• This court means serious business to allow any undertactics and mimicry to deter this court to our task.
• Even if the respondent has full access in his bank accounts, the defense didn't present any evidence regarding bank accounts in this court.
• 2 reasons why CJ did not declare the P80M and $2.4M bank accounts:  That his peso accounts represented co-mingled funds and that he was not required to report or declare his foreign currency deposits of his SALN because they were confidential under the FCDA law.
• The oath required him to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help him God.
• GUILTY

Final Tally: CONVICT-20; ACQUIT-3

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Now that the Impeachment is over, I hope that public officials in power now realize that not every time they can get away with their thirst of power and greed. I hope that the citizens now realize that there is still a part in the government which still give decisions in favor for the betterment of its people.

In the commencement of the Impeachment, I share the same sentiment as others, that this is just the start of a revolution to make the Philippines and the Philippine government a better place to be in.