MANILA, Philippines - In the Articles of

Impeachment lodged against him before

the Senate, Chief Justice Renato Corona
is charged with culpable violation of the
constitution and betrayal of public trust for
failing to meet and observe the stringent
standards under Art. VIII, Section 7 (3) of
the Constitution, which provides that "a
member of the judiciary must be a person
of proven competence, integrity, probity,
and
independence."
Specific issues Corona is charged with
include his role in supposedly allowing the
Supreme Court "to act on mere letters
filed by a counsel which caused the
issuance of a flip-flopping decision in final
and
executory
cases."
These cases include the row between the
Flight
Attendants
and
Stewards
Association of the Philippines (FASAP)
and the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Below are key events relating to this case:
June 15, 1998 - Philippine Airlines (PAL)
retrenches 5,000 employees, including
1,400 cabin crew personnel as a costcutting measure. PAL said it incurred P90B in liabilities during the 1997 Asian
financial crisis. The retrenchment takes
effect on July 15.
*June 22, 1998 - The Flight Attendants
and Stewards Association of the
Philippines (FASAP) files a complaint
against PAL and Patria Chiong, the
Assistant Vice President for Cabin
Services of PAL, for illegal retrenchment
at
the
National
Labor
Relations
Commission.
July 23, 1998 - The labor arbiter rules in
favor of FASAP and issues a preliminary
injunction
stopping
PAL
from
implementing retrenchment program. He
also orders the parties to issue a position
paper.
Sept. 4, 1998 - PAL chairman Lucio Tan
dangles shares of stock to employees and
3 seats in its board of directors, but, in
exchange, the collective bargaining
agreement would be suspended for 10
years. The employees dismiss the offer.
Sept. 23, 1998 - PAL stops operations
and terminates employees.

November 1998 - March 1999 - PAL

starts to recall the cabin crew personnel it
retrenched. PAL says it recalled 820
personnel already. FASAP says it only
recalled 80.
Sept. 28, 1999- FASAP files position
paper with the National Labor Relations
Commission (NLRC).
Nov. 8, 1999- PAL files position paper
*July 21, 2000 - Labor arbiter Jovencio
Mayor rules in favor of FASAP and orders
PAL to reinstate retrenched employees.
PAL appeals the decision.
*May 31, 2004 - NLRC reverses decision
due to lack of merit. FASAP elevates case
to the Court of Appeals.
Aug, 23, 2006 - The Court of Appeals
affirms NLRC's decision, saying PAL
doesn't have to consult FASAP for its
criteria on retrenchment program. FASAP
files motion for reconsideration.
May 29, 2007 - CA stands by its earlier
ruling. FASAP goes to the Supreme Court.
July 22, 2008 - The SC special third
division, in a decision penned by Justice
Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, rules in favor
of FASAP and orders PAL to reinstate
retrenched employees. Justices who
concurred with this decision are Justices
Alicia Austria-Martinez, Minita ChicoNazario, Antonio Eduardo Nachura and
Ruben Reyes.
Aug. 20, 2008 - PAL files motion for
reconsideration.
Oct. 2, 2009 - SC special third division
affirms 2008 decision with finality.
Decision is penned by Ynares-Santiago.
Concurring
are
Justices
Nachura,
Diosdado Peralta, Nazario and Lucas
Bersamin.
Nov. 3. 2009 - PAL files motion for leave
to file, and to admit motion for
reconsideration for 2009 decision and
second motion for reconsideration for
2008 decision.
Jan. 20, 2010 - The SC third division, then
chaired by Associate Justice Renato
Corona, grants PAL's motion. Corona
inhibits from the case.

June 3, 2010 - Chief Justice Renato

Corona (he was named Chief Justice in
May 2010) orders a revamp of SC
divisions. Justice Conchita CarpioMorales is new chair of third division, with
members including Associate Justices
Arturo Brion, Bersamin and Villarama.
The FASAP case is raffled off to SC
second division because members of the
Special third division have retired.
Sept. 7, 2011 - The SC second
division dismisses PAL's second motion
for reconsideration
Sept. 13, 2011 - PAL lawyer Estelito
Mendoza writes the Clerk of Court and
asks for an update on the Court's action
regarding the case and asks who is the
ponente assigned to it.
Sept. 16, 2011 - Mendoza writes a second
letter, reiterating request for update.
Sept. 20, 2011 - Mendoza writes another
letter, saying they received copy of the
Sept. 7 resolution on Sept. 19. He asks for
voting
pn
the
details
on
the
resolution. The Sept. 7 resolution
dismissses PAL's second motion for
reconsideration.
Sept. 22, 2011 - Mendoza writes a
letter, asking the Clerk of Court to
queries to Justices Carpio, Arturo
Jose Perez, Diosdado Peralta,
Mendoza, Bersamin, if necessary.

fourth
direct
Brion,
Jose

Oct. 4, 2011 - The SC en banc orders

the recall of Sept. 7 resolution.
Oct. 16, 2011 - In an interview with
Move.ph on this day, Mendoza said the
SC erred because their motion for
reconsideration was decided by the
second division, when what the SC should
have done was to form a special third
division in light of the retirement of certain
members of the the third division, which
originally handled the FASAP case.
Oct. 17, 2011 - FASAP files a motion for
reconsideration asking the Court to set
aside its Oct. 4, 2011 resolution.