[View the story "The Great Divide: Convict or Acquit? " on Storify ]The Great Divide: Convict or Acquit? different reactions, different opinions, one question: is the Chief Justice of the Philippines guilty or not? Storified by Bien Nonoy · Sun, May 27 2012 09:51:23
Last Friday, May 25, 2012, the Senate Impeachment Court has finally heard the two sides. The Defense has closed their case after the Chief Justice testified, confidently saying that he is innocent of the charges and even challenged all 188 congressmen plus one Senator to sign a waiver allowing their bank deposits to be opened and scrutinized by the public.
Boston
To get an acquittal, Corona needs the vote of 8 Senators in his favor. To get a guilty verdict, 16 Senators have to vote against him.♕ Cedie
As soon as the impeachment court adjourned, netizens in social media made clear their positions.
Mr. Corona, you know very well flight is an indication of guilt. Tried so hard to have an objective "legal" mind for you. But you are GUILTYEloi Sy
CJ Corona GUILTY!Manu3lMigu3l Abada 3
Uphold the rule of law! Convict Corona! http://pic.twitter.com/R17vvGukAdorth Vader
hindi nararapat kay RENATO CORONA ang CORONA ... CONVICT CORONA !!always06
CONVICT CORONA!Hindi ako conbensido sa pahayag ni Chief Justice sa kanyang paglilitis... Kapansin-pansin parin ang kanyang kasinungalingan. Ngayon aking siyang maituturing CHEAP JUSTICE sa halip na CHIEF JUSTICE. Bakit? Mura ang kanyang palusot na magdefensa sa sarili niya. Murang-mura (CHEAP). Siya pa naman ang pina-ka taas na punong magistrado na mataas na pinagaralan, siya pang nagpakita ng mababang ehemplo.... “Buksan ko ang aking mga DOLLAR ACCOUNTS.... kung kayo ay bubuksan din ang inyong mga Bank Accounts...”..... “Hindi ako magnanakaw”... kung ganoon ang tingin ninyo sa akin, Bakit bah maraming magnanakaw din dito, ang sa senado, congresso, Malacanang, Military, Police, Paaralan, Maryors, Governors, Barangay Captains”.... Para bagang sinabi niya na “hindi ninyo ako didi-in sapagkat kayo maykasalanan din!Sa tanong ng ilang Senador... ang sabi niya ang pinag-mulan ng kanyang funds ay ang Basa-Guidote Funds lamang ( ng kanyang asawa) at hindi siya nakiki-alam! Bakit natuklasan natin sa Impeachment Trial na ito na nasakanya pala ang Pera ng mga Basa Guidote at pinag-ikot ikot niya para lumaki and tubo... In other words over the years he practiced “ MONEY LAUNDERING” sa mga Accounts niya upang hindi matutun ang tunay na pinagmulan ng Pondo nito sa bangko. Sa ngayon mayroon siyang naiwan na 4 Dollar Accounts. Ngayon iyon.... What about sa mga nakaraang taon ..... 13 years na nakalipas.... lumutang sa AMLC na 82 pala ang close-open accounts niya sa maraming bangko. Deposito pag lumalaki na ang mga dollar accounts (imagine hindi pesos ito) at close-open.... open close and kanyang ginagawa para hindi matutun ang pinag-galingan ng kayamanan nito. Hindi na nga nabuksan ang ibang source of his wealth.. and mga padulas sa malalaking kaso sa Supreme Court na kanyang hinahawakan sa maraming panahon. Hindi na nga naibilang ang mga Pondo ng WORLD BANK na pumasok sa kanyang bulsa. Hindi na nga nabuksan ang mga pera ng mga Arroyo na pinagpa-ankin sa kanya...... at marami maraming pinag-galingan ng kayaman na pinasok nito sa kanyang personal bank accounts here and abroad. Sa Pilipinas na mayroon ng 103 million tao ... na halos karamihan masuerte lang kung makakain.(‘One day one eat’).. ang isang puno ng Judiciary mayroong billion-billiong Dollar Accounts?Kaya nga lumulobog ang ating bansa dahil sa mga taong katulad ni CHEAP Justice Corona. Nahuli kita sa progresso ihambing sa ibang bansa sa Asia. Sino ang may kasalanan kung hindi na-ang taong hindi natin binuto ay mayroon pang malaking kapangyarihan sa ating pamumuhay. Gi-ginhawa pa kaya kitang Pilipino?SIMULANG NA ANG PAGLINIS NG ATING PAMAHALAAN... SIMULAN NA NG ATING PAGLILINIS NG HUSGADO. LET US NOT BE AFRAID!.... LET US MAKE A CAMPAIGN TO: CONVICT....CONVICT....CONVICT....CONVICT.....CONVICT THE CHEAP JUSTICE. ILAGAY SIYA SA KULUNGAN KATULAD NI GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO. PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THE PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER NOW.... VOTE YES FOR CONVICTION.Aabel Natividad
My prediction: CORONA will be convicted with 20 votes to convict; 2 votes to acquit; 1 abstention vote. http://on.fb.me/KlNUsG #CJontrialEd Dee
@che_mendioro @d_cheap_justice I never gone thru dat.ol I want is to convict corona because he lied..dats ol thank u.CHRISTOPHER R. CADIZ
The Senate will likely convict Chief Justice Renato Corona on Article 2 of the impeachment complaint and affirm the Constitution's superiority over the foreign currency deposit law.Marvin Castillo
The issue really now that's being pressed by those who are for Corona's conviction is his failure to declare his dollar accounts, among others, in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth.
Every public official should declare his assets in his SALN. The law requires that. The FCDA does not prohibit a depositor from declaring his foreign currency deposit. One does not violate a law if he shouts to the world that he has a dollar deposit at a particular bank. But a government official's failure to declare one's asset in his SALN is a violation of the law.Ed Gumboc
One can not open the contents of a Foreign Currency Deposit. However it is mandated by the constitution from President down the line ( without exception ) to declare his or her assets. Foreign Currency Deposit Act was enacted in 1974. Philippine Constitution was passed in 1986. Philippine Constitution is over and above any law. We now have Anti Money Laundering Act (2003) that gives other government offices the power to look into bank accounts ... don't know if there was amendatory provisions made to R.A. 6426 for that matter. Just presenting the facts just to pick your mind lang doc ... i'm not arguing here and don't want to : ) Nice discussionAnjo Illenberger Ayco
"I concealed two million dollars.There! I said it. Now can I go back to being Chief Justice? Huh?"alan c. robles
so sa hinaba haba pala ng impeacment and dedesisyuna lang pala ay kung kailangan bang isama sa SALN ang laman ng dollar account... I somehow disagree with Bobi Tiglao assertion that the senator judges wil decide based on Pres BS Aquino wishes to oust Corona. Pres BS Aquino after all will start to be a lameduck president after 2013 election while politicians will start to graviate towards Binay (proof: the initial list of senatorial line up of VPs coalition where more winnable candidates are in their line UP.. .. I think the senators will decide based on WHAT WILL SAVE THEIR ASSES. My feeling is that senators will have a HUGE balancing act to do. To convict CJ would mean that they too will be required to declare in their SALN how much dollars they have in the bank.. while to acquit corona would mean they agree with corona's interpretation of the absolute secrecy of of dollar deposit. SO DAPAT TALAGA MAGDEMAND ANG MAMAMAYAN NA MAG SIGN NG WAIVER ANG LAHAT NA ELECTED AT APPOINTED GOVERNMENT OFFCIAL!!!!Alden Almero
@mahalpilipinas dollar is still an asset so dapat declared. Fcda is limited daw sa bank disclosure and doesn't prohibit anyone to declaremad
Of course, there is a different side to the interpretation of these seemingly conflicting laws and I am referring to the SALN law and the FCD law.
Is it an impeachable offense for Corona to follow the FCDA? Is it an impeachable offense not to claim commingled pesos as his entirely?Elpmis Ganador
the law is also clear absolute confidentiality... i can still remember a maxim way back in law school " ignorance of the law excuses no one but ignorance of a trivial questions of law excuses one from compliance" lets give him the benefit of the doubt... he did not steal (atleast not proven) he did not kill, he did nothing seriously wrong...Atty Juv Gayatao
Miriam: 8s duty of Congres 2 amend SALN or d FCDA. ambiguity of law shud nt b held against a person affected.titing_tigas
There is such a thing as this: the waiver provided in the SALN is not the waiver contemplated in the FCDA. #boompet uy
@momblogger But it's not just between SALN Law and FCDA but between Art XI Sec 17 and FCDA. @fainchoco @jesterinexile @RunningKarloThe Nutbox
Under FCDA, it isnt a crime to have dollar account and not declare it in SALN. Another matter to prove whether money is fruit of crime.Elpmis Ganador
Ano violation ng depositor sa FCDA kapag idisclose nya $ acct nya? Wala kc FCDA allows personal dsclosure which SALN law mandates #cjtrialyouth revolt
Atty. Sta Maria on Corona's FCDA excuse: Constitutional DUTY trumps statutory PRIVILEGE http://www.interaksyon.com/article/32679/corona-testimony-duty---vs--privilegeThe Nutbox
Just finished the entire testimony of CJ Corona and the questions from the Senator Judges. As we all know, the biggest issue is the dishonesty in the SALN (inclusion / exclusion). The biggest evidence for the prosecution is the AMLAC report from Ombudsman Morales. Now the question is, is this evidence conclusive? The answer is no because basically what is stated there are transactional balances which is a narration of all his transactions over 500K PHP. It is not the real balance. So I can say, it is corroborative and prima facie but not conclusive. Then here comes the admission of the CJ that first, he has dollar earnings in the amount of 2.4M USD and he has 90M PHP which he did not fully disclose in his SALN. His defense - the the FCDU law is a blanket authority not to disclose dollar accounts AND his peso accounts are co-mingled accounts. As an accountant, I understand that for the co-mingled accounts, he only need to declare his portion which I believe is correct because you are not suppose to declare an asset if it is not yours. On the dollar account, that is the problem. His interpretation may not be correct. However, the question now is: Considering his admission and legal interpretation and the fact that SALNs are correctible documents as stated in the SALN law, is non-disclosure that is acted in good faith (this is an assumption because there is no dispute for the contrary) tantamounts to the category of an impeacheable offense? This is a serious legal question which needs to be answered by our senators very carefully because it will create a precedent. I am waiting for their decision and explanations.Mac Brian Mann
mga kaibigan niloloko tayo ng harapan ng corona na yan biruin mo may dollar na napakalaki na cnasabi nyang ipon nya tapos may 80 million peso na hindi rin sa kanya pero nasa account nya cno ginagago nya ang mga anak nya may sariling pamilya na yan siyempre d papayag na ipasok sa account nya ang mga pera nila dahil sa pera kahit magkakadugo nagkakalokohan kaya wag tayo maniwala sa mga manglilinglang....Marlon Mallari
Those who believe that the Chief Justice shouldn't be convicted also did not delay the expression of their own opinion, "Acquit!"
So prosecution seeks to convict Corona based on interpretation of banking laws which divide even this country's top lawyers. Fair?Glenn Tuazon
no bases, acquit cj corona!!PHILIP VINZON
Uphold the independence of the Judiciary! Defend the last bulwark of democracy! Acquit Chief Justice Renato Corona!Genesis Leal
It takes 8 votes to acquit,and 16 votes to convict,i think corona has redeemed himself..smart one..Nexus Ballesteros
it's all about hda luisita! ACQUIT CJ CORONA! WALANG BASES!ANNA ISON
ACQUIT CJ CORONA. 188 CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR DRILON SIGN THE WAIVER!!!Dony Bolante
8-12 million solid Iglesia members unanimously support CJ Corona. Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) will not vote for the puppets of Ngoyngoy this 2013. Iglesia believes that CJ Corona is innocent of all the charges against him, and believes that senator-judges should acquit CJ Corona because he is innocent!! http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/195925/inc-lobbying-for-corona-acquittalBalitang Pinas
Some pundits and would-be pundits would make their own "analysis" on the possible action of the Senate.
Senate will convict Chief Justice Corona: analyst : ABSCBNNews1 day ago ... Senate will convict Chief Justice Corona: analyst http://t.co/NET4fMi5 .... CBN News: http://t.co/MraJNbP5 (blog)Senate w...
Why The Senate Must Convict CJ Corona | The ProPinoy ProjectMay 16, 2012 ... It is not the impeachment court's job to convict Renato C. Corona on criminal or administrative ... Cocoy Dayao ha...
Convict him. « The Nutbox3 days ago ... Chief Justice Corona never intended to submit himself to direct and cross- examination in the witness stand. He felt it b...
Why the Senate must NOT convict Chief Justice Renato CoronaMay 16, 2012 ... Posted by benign0. Simple. Because it is not in the personal interests of the Senator Judges to see a Supreme Court Ch...
#Cjtrialwatch: Acquit Him | Blog Watch Citizen Media1 day ago ... I will not deal with legalities that the senator-judges need to confront with but after today's testimony, I am satis...
Despite the possible outcome, some people see this as an opportunity to "reform" the government and steer it away from corruption. If there is one thing good that came out of this, it is the Corona Challenge.
Who Dares To Take The " CORONA CHALLENGE"?Edgardo Adocal
I agree with CJ Corona that gov't officials should sign a waiver to open their secret accts. Not just the 189, but all.Robert Young, Jr.
The Filipino People wants the Govt Officials to sign the waiver. CJ Corona takes first. Now, PNoy & Cabinets, must sign. Same as 188 Reps.Epal ako
RT @FDPascual: Whether the ChiefJustice is acquitted or convicted, we should press the demand that all officials sign the Corona-type waiver.bogs
What if all officials concerned would accept Corona's challenge and sign the waiver? Marami sigurong mabubuko.Dana_DelRosario
So many dramas just to make CJ Corona sign the waiver...nagsign na di naman pala gagamitin -_-Dino Aquino
RT @saint_jaypee: Prosecution, u've been wanting for CJ Corona to sign the waiver, he signed it already! So what's next?vince lumaguey
Chief Justice Corona becomes the SECOND Public Official to sign the waiver after Rep. Abigail Faye Cruz Ferriol http://www.interaksyon.com/assets/documents/corona-impeachment/waiver.pdf #THIRD?Paul Pajo
I saw the press conference of ombudsman morales last night , basically she was saying that her integrity and credibility are intact and she also said that cj corona is a "LIAR". She also told the press that anyone can look into her bank account. However, she didn't sign any waiver ( can anyone look into her account w/o any waiver???)., she have the tenacity to parade or to " wagayway" the Unauthenticated AMLC report but she doesn't have an ink of courage to sign an "unconditional waiver"!.Vernon Corpuz
TO ALL THE ACCUSSERS OF CJ CORONA and SENATOR JUDGES WHY WON'T YOU SIGN THE WAIVER.... WELL THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SPEECHLESS LETS JUST SAY MAYBE ALL OF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE...... CJ CORONA "HINDI KO NA KAYO AANTAYIN" I AGREE TO CJ CORONA THAT THIS IS WHAT THE FILIPINO PEOPLE WANTS CORONA's WAIVER RELEVANT TO HIS TRIAL OR NOT.... IM SURE IT IS RELEVANT WHEN WE SPEAK OF MORALITY..... SPECIALLY FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS.... SIGN THE WAIVER COME ON!!!! AND OPEN ALL YOUR ACCOUNTS WHY BECAUSE IT IS WHAT ALL FILIPINO PEOPLE WANTS.... :)Emerson Ong
Some were even frustrated and perplexed that the prosecution did not pursue the case further, despite the egging of some of the Senator-Judges, now that they have a signed waiver from CJ Corona.
CJ Corona has opened the door to REAL REFORM in this country by being the example that all government officials should do - SIGN A WAIVER TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ALL INFORMATIONS ON DEPOSITS, PESO AND DOLLAR ACCOUNT, REAL PROPERTIES, STOCKSHOLDINGS And SALN!!! Whether he gets acquited or not, this WAIVER SHOULD BECOME A LAW! Now if our President, our Congressmen & Senators has the COURAGE to do the same thing, this circus Impeachment trial would be WORTH IT!Ian Nirvananda M. Alas
Corona signed the waiver for his dollar and peso accounts as a sign that he has nothing to hide, the prosecution who has been egging him all along to sign the waiver now says that the waiver is of no use. And surprise, the Basas and the Coronas have reconciled! Impeachment is truly more fun in the Philippines. (Wala pang commercial breaks)Butch Cruz
It must be remembered that prior to his testimony, the Prosecution and the Senator-Judges themselves have been wanting the Chief Justice to sign a waiver.
Corona urged to sign waiver on dollarsSergio Osmeña said Corona may be spared from intense grilling on the witness stand if he just agrees to sign a waiver allowing banks wher...
An online petition has now in fact been put up to petition the 188 congressmen and senators to do a "Corona" but it seems they are just "Noynoying".
188 Philippine Congressmen and Sen. Franklin Drilon: Accept the challenge: Sign the Waiver!This is a call for every Philippine public official to come clean and be an example of honest and trustworthy public service. The impeach...
Militant groups back Corona's disclosure challenge to legislatorsThe Kilusang Mayo Uno and Anakbayan joined calls on the 188 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint against Corona and on Sen. F...
Malacañang rejects calls to have Cabinet members sign waiversPresident Benigno Aquino III is not accommodating a suggestion from a senator to have his Cabinet members sign waivers opening up their b...
Quisumbing ready to sign waiver but…By Ador Vincent Mayol, Doris C. Bongcac AT least one of the Cebu legislators who signed the Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice...
Somehow, despite the "drama" and tension of this "Corona-bela", some Filipinos actually don't care.
sick en tired of this impeachment trialkim noreen™
cj Corona has until monday May 21, 2012 to honorably resign or be subjected to a harrowing grilling by the prosecutors, senator-judges and the media. Hundreds of priority bills have remain pending in the SENATE, a divided leadership stalls the progress of our nation. We must all work together to make this country great.Herminio Faustino
so fed up with the impeachment trialArrian Guevarra
I have my own opinion regarding this issue but whatever the decision will be, I do pray that our country can really move forward. As early as now, there are already talks of another impeachment against Corona in case he gets an acquittal. Oh, Lord. When will your Filipino people start growing up?
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