Digitally signed by Jason Raquin Roque DN: cn=Jason Raquin Roque, o, ou, email=jason_mike15@yahoo.com, c=PH Date: 2012.05.

16 19:49:24 +08'00'

DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY DASMARIAS COLLEGE OF SCIENCE BIOLOGY PROGRAM

Chief Justice Renato C. Corona

The First Chief Justice facing the clamour of Impeachment
JASON R. ROQUE
HUB 32 3/14/2012

An ELGA Paper presented to Mr. Pedro Dotillos Professor, Social Sciences Department College of Liberal Arts

In partial fulfilment for the requirements for the course PHLO 101 (Logic)

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM CHIEF JUSTICE RENATO C. CORONA The First Chief Justice facing the clamor of Impeachment

The Philippine government is comprises by three departments. The Executive Department which is headed by the President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. The Legislative department which is comprises by two houses the House of Senate which is headed by the Senate President, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and the House of Representative which is headed by Speaker of the House, Sonny Belmonte. Lastly, the Judiciary department which is headed by Chief Justice Renato Corona. It is indeed that mostly, if not all, Filipinos know that Chief Justice Renato Corona is so called the Midnight Appointee of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In this instance, the Filipinos are thinking and even having conclusions that former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed the Chief Justice to make sure that she will be protected, supported and save from the accusation she might be handling in the new administration. Also, making her to defy the gravity that is pulling her down in all the accusation given to her by the officials and the people of the country. The appointed made by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sullied the Article VII, Section 15 of the Philippine Constitution stating that:

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM Two months immediately before the next presidential election and up to the end of his / her term, a President or Acting President shall not make appointments, except temporary appointments to executive positions when continued vacancies therein will prejudice public service or endanger public safety.

Thus, making the Chief Justice appointive position not credible and indeed doubtful. The assumption of the position of Chief Justice Corona was made possible with regards to the hiding the mistakes or loop holes and giving insufficient justification, while ignoring examples of respectable and moral behavior that should have made it impossible to accept office under such unsure and ignominious circumstances. The values and behavior of Chief Justice Corona that was exemplified in the time being where he served the as former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyos presidential chief of staff, presidential spokesman and also as an acting executive secretary. These positions are considered and known to be as having highest public trust, and giving him great authority of certain matters. Through-out his service to the Arroyo clan, he truly gained their trust, thus making him be able to assume such office first as the Associate Justice and then as the Chief Justice. This was the time that the former President is having many accusation and legal responsibilities over her rampant and prominent abuse of power.

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM Being the Chief Justice he has been very luxurious in spending of the public funds of the government as well as not declaring it to his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networks (SALN). He is also been accused in using his high authority and power to manipulate, give decision and verdicts with regards to the cases of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Those decisions were all in the side the former president. With regards to the allegation and accusation, the House of Representatives filed an impeachment case to him. In the articles of the impeachment, the Chief Justice betrayed the public trust of the Filipinos, have culpable violation of the Philippine constitution and graft and corruption. Those are the grounds of impeachment laid by the prosecution in the Senate Hearing in the presence of the Senator Judges making him not fit for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The impeachment case filed by the prosecution to Chief Justice Corona was the first time. Knowing and having read the articles of impeachment and as I see the evidences laid by the prosecution, Im on the side of the prosecution. But also, as I analyze and watch the hearing of the impeachment case, the prosecution was always, maybe in some times, not ready for the presentation. I truly believe as an individual and citizen of the Philippines, I can say that what will happen to the justice in our country having such Chief Justice who is violating the laws of the country as well as betraying the public trust of everyone.

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM In the impeachment case filed by the prosecution it was clearly stated there that Chief Justice Renato Corona violated the eight articles of the Philippine constitution. According to the Article I of the impeachment complaint it is said that:

RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS TRACK RECORD MARKED BY

PARTIALITY AND SUBSERVIENCE IN CASES INVOLVING THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION FROM THE TIME OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AND UNTIL HIS DUBIOUS APPOINTMENT AS A MIDNIGHT CHIEF JUSTICE TO THE PRESENT.

Knowing the articles he had violated and also what I have discussed earlier, he thus really betrayed the public trust of the Filipino people. The appointed position he received is questionable and not credible. According to the Article 2 of the impeachment complaint is it said that:

RESPONDENT

COMMITTED

CULPABLE

VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AND/OR BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST WHEN HE FAILED TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC HIS STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES,

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM AND NET WORTH AS REQUIRED UNDER SEC. 17, ART. XI OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION.

After I have read and analyze the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networks (SALN), I have concluded that the complaint is indeed correct because he does not declared some of his properties, making him guilty in the accusation. The SALN of the Chief Justice covers many luxurious properties that are doubtful for a Chief Justice to acquire. Knowing that a Chief Justice have a salary of 90,000.00 / month. It is very questionable how the Chief Justice acquired those properties even though his justification is that some of his family member either owns it or gave it to him. Still, it is visible to the Filipinos that he violated the Section 7, Article 11 of the Philippine Constitution. According to the Article III of the impeachment complaint it says that:

RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST BY FAILING TO MEET AND OBSERVE THE STRINGENT STANDARDS UNDER ART. VIII, SECTION 7 (3) OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES THAT [A] MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY MUST BE A PERSON OF PROVEN COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY, PROBITY, AND INDEPENDENCE IN ALLOWING THE SUPREME COURT TO ACT ON MERE LETTERS FILED BY A COUNSEL WHICH CAUSED THE ISSUANCE OF FLIP-FLOPPING DECISIONS IN FINAL AND EXECUTORY CASES; IN CREATING AN EXCESSIVE ENTANGLEMENT WITH MRS. ARROYO THROUGH HER APPOINTMENT OF HIS WIFE TO OFFICE; AND IN DISCUSSING WITH LITIGANTS

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM REGARDING CASES PENDING BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. In this article it is stated that the prosecution is accusing the Chief Justice that he is supporting the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the cases that was accused to her. Though there is some evidence presented by the prosecution in the Senate Hearing, I believe that it is illogical to question the personality or the decision of the Chief Justice when it comes to that matter. Maybe there is some part that the Chief Justice was on the side of the former president, but there is still other Associate Justices that are together with him in releasing decision of the Supreme Court. Thus, concluding that Chief Justice Renato Corona is positively inclined with the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the accusation that was alleged to her is invalid. Lastly, with regards to the whole impeachment complaint for the chief justice, I believe that he is guilty with such accusation and allegation written and presented in most of the Articles in the impeachment complaint.

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BIOLOGY PROGRAM LOGICAL PROPOSITIONS

All working individuals must declare SALN. Chief Justice Renato Corona is a working individual.

Chief Justice Renato Corona must declare SALN.

If CJ Corona is impeached, CJ Corona is not now working in the Supreme Court. If CJ Corona is not impeached, he is working in Supreme Court. If CJ Corona is not working in the Supreme Court, he is impeached. If CJ Corona is impeached, he is not working in the Supreme Court. If CJ Corona is working in the Supreme Court, he is not impeached.

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