Decision solely rests on the senators

Reading the news article titled “Senate losing patience, warns House panel” (Inquirer, 1/6/12), I couldn’t help but seethe at how some senators, this early, are trying to shroud with secrecy Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial. True, they alone will decide whether or not the Chief Justice should be removed from office, but in casting their votes, they should not only focus on procedural and legal issues but also take into consideration the people’s will.

The power to try and hear impeachment cases has been placed in the hands of the Senate precisely because it is not only a legal function but also a political one; our senators, after all, are elected officials. In the end, more knowledge, more transparency and more news about the case can only lead to a livelier public debate—and more public debate will only be healthy as it gives our senators a clearer view of the bigger picture and our people a better understanding of the political landscape.

I just feel that people should not be led to believe that what’s happening to our country right now should be left solely to the senators. We all have a stake in this, and we all should understand the issues in Chief Justice Corona’s impeachment case.

—LEO VALLENTE,

Cainta, Rizal