Chief Justice Renato Corona has nixed calls for him to just resign and spare the country from an emotional and divisive exercise.
He has, in fact, decided to fight back warning of a creeping dictatorship by President Aquino.
“Ako’y tumututol sa dahan-dahang binubuong diktadura ni Pangulong Benigno Simeon Aquino
III ,” he said in a speech before court employees and members of his family.
“Itong impeachment ay dala ng kasakiman na magkaroon ng isang Korte Suprema na kayang diktahan, na nakukuha sa tingin, at magkakandarapang ipatupad ang kanilang bawat hiling…
“Kinikilala natin ang proseso ng Saligang Batas para sa mga reklamo laban sa mga miyembro ng Korte Suprema. Ngunit ang hindi natin kinikilala ay ang pag-abuso ng kapangyarihan at proseso para samantalahin ang lahat ng paraan, makapagtalaga lamang sila ng sarili nilang mga mahistrado sa Korte Suprema.”
With those words, we don’t see Corona doing a Gutierrez.
It will be recalled that Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, whom Malacañang considered a blockade to its plan to make Gloria Arroyo accountable for crimes she committed against the Filipino people, was impeached last March 22 by the House of Representatives for betrayal of public trust.
Rather than fight it out in the Senate, where many thought she would have a good chance of being acquitted, she resigned.
VERA Files found out later that Gutierrez resignation came with a price: Aquino agreed to her demand that she would get her full retirement benefits and government would not file charges against her.
We asked our usual sources if Malacañang didn’t try or is trying to make Corona resign and he said, they have never really got to Corona.
Also, the atmosphere created by the Aquino-Corona conflict is so hostile and emotional, even irrational, a compromise would be condemned by the people.
What’s Corona’s chance with the Senate converted into a court to try him?
There are 23 senators and Malacañang needs 16 votes (two thirds of the Senate) to convict Corona.
Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis Pangilinan had been vocal against Corona, That’s two sure votes for Malacañang. Expected to support Aquino in his crusade of cleansing the judiciary of Arroyo’s minions are Antonio Trillanes IV, Panfilo Lacson, Sergio Osmeña III, Teofisto Guingona III, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Ralph Recto. That’s eight votes.
Maybe Sen. Jinggoy Estrada would give his vote to Malacañang although he may not want another person to go through the traumatic experience that his went through in 2001.
Sen.Francis Escudero is an ally of Aquino but he has been critical of the way Malacañang has been making legal shortcuts in its moves against Gloria Arroyo.
Corona needs only eight senators on his side to block his conviction.
The Nationalista Party or Manny Villar’S group will be an important bloc here. Aside from Villar, there are the two Cayetanos-Alan Peter and Pia, Tito Sotto, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. That’s five votes.
Senator Joker Arroyo is expected to vote in favor of Corona.
In a statement thick with sarcasm, Arroyo said “The way I look at it is (Aquino) is a genius more than Marcos. Imagine what he has achieved: Marcos issued Proclamation 1081 and with the aid of the AFP, there was military rule, but here, there’s no proclamation because it did not do anything except to muscle in everyone…This time, it took a stroke of a hand for Aquino to control the entire government.”
Sen. Edgardo Angara is also expected to vote in favor of Corona. So is Loren Legarda.
Sen. Gregorio Honasan has also been uncomfortable with the way Malacañang is running after Arroyo. The impeachment of Corona is seen as part of the anti-Gloria Arroyo drive.
Senators Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla won under Lakas party of Gloria Arroyo but they are known to be vulnerable to Malacañang’s incentives.
Sen. Miriam Santiago, if she won’t be called yet to the International Criminal Court, will be a big question mark.
Crucial also is the vote of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
As to the public, it will again be another telenovela. We just hope it would be as engrossing as “Budoy.”