Illegitimate president, illegitimate appointees
Every now and then we read comments excoriating the senators who voted Chief Justice Renato Corona out of the Supreme Court. Look at them now—many are under investigation and a few are facing plunder charges. And it looks like a good number of the members of the House of Representatives are going to follow them soon. It is now clear that someone accused of theft was tried by a bunch of thieves!
The impeachment trial was, without a doubt, a farce. It should be declared a mistrial and Corona reinstated pronto! His only sin was hiding his wealth (although the Ombudsman now says it was all ill-gotten, i.e., stolen).
But wait a second. We also read opinions lambasting the majority of the Supreme Court justices for having accepted their appointment from former president Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo who is generally perceived to have “stolen” the election in 2004. (Thanks to Sen. Grace Poe for reminding us about “Hello, Garci.” The question needs to be asked again and again: Does any right-thinking Filipino really, truly believe Arroyo did it merely “to protect my votes”?) Therefore, those high and mighty magistrates were also put in office by a “scoundrel”! Therefore, there is no question that Arroyo was an “illegitimate” president, ergo, her appointees to the Supreme Court must also be “illegitimate”! No spring can rise above its source (“unless the Supreme Court says otherwise,” as our law professor loves to say). Ang saya saya, no? There is so much fun in the Philippines! And only in the Philippines!
—GABBIE AGUILLERA,
