I am writing as a Filipino citizen, a member of the sovereign people of the Philippines. I am addressing this to the senator-judges and prosecutors as elected servants, as well as to the defense counsels of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.
The Chief Justice’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth were declared under oath. One undeclared or undervalued property is enough to tell me that not only has Chief Justice Corona told a simple lie, he is also guilty of perjury. Therefore, he has lost the moral authority to demand that people who appear before the courts of justice (all of which are under him) tell the truth.
The sovereign people of the Philippines are the final judges. As a member of this august body, I have rendered my judgment: Renato Corona no longer deserves to hold public office, as our servant.
Therefore, I order our elected servants, the senator-judges, to render judgment right now in order to save the people’s money, and so that they can do their job as legislators.
So ordered, even without the bang of a gavel!
—FR. EMY MANINGO, C.Ss.R., Redemptorist Retreat House-Holy Family, Nivel Hills, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City