Chief justice calls for sobriety amid 'impeachment' talks

Chief Justice Renato Corona appealed for sobriety amid reported plans in the House of Representatives to impeach him. The Supreme Court (SC) under Corona’s watch has been criticized for declaring as unconstitutional President Benigno Aquino III's Executive Order (E.O.) No. 1, which created the Truth Commission. The Truth body would have investigated corruption scandals that plagued the nine-year Arroyo administration. At a news briefing on Thursday, SC acting public information chief Gleoresty Guerra said Corona is urging his critics to read first the court's decision on E.O. No. 1 and his opinion on the matter. "He said he hopes they will make the time and effort to read and understand his 24-page separate opinion," she said. Guerra explained that the decision voiding E.O. No. 1 is the decision of the court's majority, not just Corona. "Impeachment is a nuclear option," she cautioned. “We should not go into it lightly and if impeachment is a result of a Supreme Court decision, it’s a decision of the Supreme Court as a collegial body and not just the chief justice alone." On Wednesday night, Aquino reportedly said he heard talks at the House of Representatives that there were moves to impeach Corona or other justices. "Mayroon po tayong mga boses na naririnig dun na nagmumungkahi nga ho na kung di sa isa, sa marami [I've heard from the House of Representatives suggestions to impeach not just one justice but maybe more]," Aquino said when asked whether he was entertaining thoughts of impeachment against the chief justice. Impeaching a chief justice Section 2, Article XI of the Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to impeach the president, the vice-president, Supreme Court justices, officials of constitutional commissions, and the Ombudsman. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, would then decide on what to do with the impeached official. The Charter provides the following as grounds for impeachment: "culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust." In 2009, the controversial citizenship case of congresswoman triggered rumors of impeachment moves against then Chief Justice Reynato Puno, whom a businessman accused of sitting on the case. The businessman had obtained a leaked copy of a draft ruling against the congresswoman. However, the court's actual ruling was in favor of the solon. In February 2009, an SC ethics investigation found that retired Associate Justice Ruben Reyes was responsible for the leakage. In 2003, the House of Representatives actually tackled an impeachment complaint against then Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. regarding his management of the Judicial Development Fund. But the Supreme Court ruled that the complaint violated House procedures. This year, Davide was appointed head of the Truth Commission. – VVP/MRT, GMANews.TV