They may not have legal expertise but people have collective wisdom

I thank the Inquirer for articulating our and the people’s thoughts and feelings regarding the ongoing impeachment trial.  The editorial titled “Wisdom, not legality” (Inquirer, 2/23/12) hits the nail right on the head.

We also would like to commend Conrado de Quiros on his “People Power” article which also expressed our own feelings. (Inquirer, 2/23/12)

More power to the Inquirer and De Quiros.

Again and again, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago have demonstrated their knowledge of criminal trial proceedings but digressed from the very essence of the impeachment court as a people’s tribunal that should not be hampered by legal technicalities in its search for truth.

Regarding the PAL case, Enrile did not allow the prosecution to present testimony evidence against Chief Justice Renato Corona just because the word “bribery” was not mentioned in Article 3 of the impeachment complaint. My God, the prosecution was trying to show that Corona did not possess the virtues of integrity, honesty and uprightness—virtues that a chief justice should have. The prosecution need not mention the word “bribery” in order to lay down the premise that Corona lacks these virtues. Definitely, it is improper for even an ordinary judge to accept privileges from a party whose case is pending before his court.

However, Enrile thought otherwise, and the prosecution knows better than to tangle with the presiding officer of the impeachment court. Poor guys, but they can rest assured that the people are closely watching and can see through every move made by all the front actors in the ongoing impeachment trial.

—JAIME EVIDENTE,

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