Corona deserves public admiration

I deeply sympathize with impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona. He’s being crucified by the Aquino administration through a rubber-stamp Congress simply because he is an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Corona is not Arroyo. He is Corona with his own soul and conviction. It just happened he got his post under Arroyo.

Even before the impeachment trial could start today, the Aquino-controlled House of Representatives, with puppet Rep. Niel Tupas in the forefront, had released a barrage of propaganda materials in an effort to demonize the Chief Justice in the eyes of the public. Why couldn’t the House wait for the trial to start before releasing its “evidence”? Impeachment, Philippine style?

Anyway, I have so much admiration for Corona for facing an impeachment trial, win or lose. This is a fight against the Judiciary, not against Corona.

President Aquino has called the high court the “Arroyo Court.” He wants to control the Judiciary purportedly to ensure that he will attain his vision of “tuwid na daan.” But is condemning a Chief Justice because he is not his appointee “tuwid na daan”?

The truth is, P-Noy is very angry at Corona after the Supreme Court issued a ruling against the Hacienda Luisita owners. Had the Court’s decision gone otherwise, P-Noy would have had second thoughts. But the high court, all 15 justices, went against the owners of Hacienda Luisita. So P-Noy went wild. Thus, the impeachment, not tomorrow but now. Not tomorrow, because P-Noy’s popularity rating is going down, and public opinion on Corona’s impeachment could turn against Malacañang’s schemes.

Shall we rely on the Senate? Impeachment is not based on evidence only; it could take into consideration the public pulse. How about the individual, personal pulse of each senator? Pity Corona. I won’t be scared if we had a Congress that has a reputation of honor and integrity. What can we expect of congressmen and senators who are political butterflies, flitting from one political party to another, depending on where the political wind blows?

If Corona were a poor man, I would be willing to pitch in with P1,000 from my pocket to help pay for his defense. To the Chief Justice, win or lose, you are a real hero and a real Chief Justice! God bless you!

—JOHNNY A. ALISTO,

john.alisto@yahoo.com