Is Monsod now a Corona apologist?

I AM distraught by the recent columns written by Solita Monsod. Although, I am not yet very sure of her thoughts, but her Jan. 21 column (“Do it the right way”) tells me that she has become an apologist for Chief Justice Renato Corona. She is suggesting that the Executive and the House of Representatives have connived to railroad the impeachment and, not only that, used the media to demonize Corona and their immense powers to uncover his sins. Noting the actual amount of the judicial reforms funds loaned by the World Bank, Monsod asks what is $199,000 dollars in misappropriated amount.

May I remind her that the misappropriated amount, although less than 1 percent of the total loan, at the exchange rate of P43 to a dollar is more than P8.5 million. That is a huge amount. Monsod must have forgotten that stealing even a peso is already a crime. It gets worse if the stolen amount reaches millions of pesos, much worse if it is public money, gets worse still if the thief is a public officer, and worst of all if the alleged crime is committed by somebody in the highest Court of the land, which is expected to be beyond reproach in its dealings. I am afraid that Monsod must have heard and seen so many scandalous cases of graft and corruption in public office that her standards of integrity have deteriorated.

In the same column, after attacking the Executive, she defended herself that of late, she has been critical of some decisions of the Supreme Court. She seems to be trying to remove any reason for her readers to suspect her attacks on the impeachment prosecutors and President Aquino. I am not buying her argument. If she is really truthful about her stand, then there is no reason for her to give excuses. Her words betray her thoughts.

I’m very disappointed with her recent columns.

—JEROME MENDOZA,

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