Historic
The Philippines, for the first time today, actually completed an impeachment trial successfully convicted a high-ranking public official and removed him from Office. Renato Corona has the sole honour of being called "former Chief Justice of the Philippines" - via impeachment. The senator-judges voted 20-3 in favour of conviction and found the deposed highest magistrate guilty of stupidity dishonest disclosure (failure to disclose all his properties) on his annual statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth, which translates to betrayal of public trust and constitutes a ground for impeachment.
The senator-judges were to explain their votes on three articles of impeachment filed by the prosecution but the vote turnout on the first article (Article II) was enough to convict Corona.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile once again demonstrates his overall awesomeness. Seriously, this man will be missed when he retires. His summation speech is very, very great, and he presided over the trial with believable authority and wisdom few of his colleagues possess.
Senator Manny Villar once again demonstrates his twisted political will LOLOLOL.
And, not for the first time, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago makes a show of herself... and I mean that in an honestly amusing and non-derisive way. She has this really impressively broad understanding of the Law, and she's not afraid of speaking her mind. I used to find her ramblings in the Senate annoyingly hilarious, but I now understand that she wouldn't be Miriam if she didn't launch her machine-gun (...her mouth, heh). Her quotable quote this time? "I thought that I was unlimited." (when asked by JPE to wind her speech up) <33333
The tragedy of the defence panel, I think, is that the former Chief Justice himself appeared in the impeachment court. The defence team, while not perfect, did an outstanding job... but Corona himself dug his own grave. His own reading and interpretation of the law was what ironically unseated him. His disrespect for the court also didn't work in his favour.
The prosecution lawyers, on the other hand, are a lousy lot who only got lucky. *whistles*
I also find it quite ironic that those who voted for Corona's acquittal-Senators Arroyo, Santiago, and Marcos-are ones of the very few most learned lawmakers in the Senate.
The senator-judges were to explain their votes on three articles of impeachment filed by the prosecution but the vote turnout on the first article (Article II) was enough to convict Corona.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile once again demonstrates his overall awesomeness. Seriously, this man will be missed when he retires. His summation speech is very, very great, and he presided over the trial with believable authority and wisdom few of his colleagues possess.
Senator Manny Villar once again demonstrates his twisted political will LOLOLOL.
And, not for the first time, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago makes a show of herself... and I mean that in an honestly amusing and non-derisive way. She has this really impressively broad understanding of the Law, and she's not afraid of speaking her mind. I used to find her ramblings in the Senate annoyingly hilarious, but I now understand that she wouldn't be Miriam if she didn't launch her machine-gun (...her mouth, heh). Her quotable quote this time? "I thought that I was unlimited." (when asked by JPE to wind her speech up) <33333
The tragedy of the defence panel, I think, is that the former Chief Justice himself appeared in the impeachment court. The defence team, while not perfect, did an outstanding job... but Corona himself dug his own grave. His own reading and interpretation of the law was what ironically unseated him. His disrespect for the court also didn't work in his favour.
The prosecution lawyers, on the other hand, are a lousy lot who only got lucky. *whistles*
I also find it quite ironic that those who voted for Corona's acquittal-Senators Arroyo, Santiago, and Marcos-are ones of the very few most learned lawmakers in the Senate.