The Senate impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona has turned into an entertainment event, with Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago doing her award-winning antics, and the other senators just smiling and laughing at the comments of their colleagues. Lacking is a spirit of seriousness and sense of urgency, especially among the senators, to bring out the truth so that an impartial decision could be made. The future of this country is hanging on the edge and the senators don’t seem to care.
As it is turning out, it seems there was a conspiracy from the beginning to make the prosecution look stupid by blocking all their efforts to present evidence in order to influence public opinion in favor of the accused. Let us be reminded that the accused here is Chief Justice Corona, not the prosecutors.
However, despite their lack of savvy and experience, the prosecution produced two credible witnesses: BIR Commissioner Kim Henares and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. The facts presented by Commissioner Henares should be enough to convict Chief Justice Corona. He cheated on his SALNs. How can you favor a chief justice who cheats?
The Philippines needs a break from the forces of evil that continue to haunt it. For the sake of the Filipino people who thirst for reforms, let us do something right this time.
—ALICIA GENTOLIA-MURPHY,
field director,
Urban Poor Associates,
urbanpoorassociates@ymail.com