Defense: Corona's fate in hands of God, Senate

MANILA, Philippines -- Lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona said their client’s condition was in God’s hands and they would accept the decision if the Senate makes good on its threat to strike the impeached magistrate’s testimony and rule on his case should he fail to appear at Wednesday’s hearing.

Nevertheless, lawyer Rico Quicho, a spokesman for the defense, said they continued to hope that Corona would pull through and be cleared of the charges against him.

Corona, a diabetic who also has a history of heart bypasses, is confined at the intensive care unit of the Medical City hospital in Pasig City after he suffered hypoglycemia during his testimony on Tuesday.

His abrupt exit from the Senate session hall angered Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile who issued the ultimatum for him to show up on Wednesday or have his testimony stricken and the case decided on.

However, Corona’s doctors would not allow him to go to the Senate, saying he needed to be monitored over the next 48 hours because he faced the risk of heart attack.

“Kung matutuloy ang desisyon ni Senate President na kapag hindi makaharap si Chief Justice Corona mamaya ay i-strike out ‘yung kaniyang testimonya at magdedesisyon na sila, marangal po naming tatanggapin iyan (If the Senate President’s decision to strike out his testimony and decide on the case should Chief Justice Corona fail to appear, we will accept it honorably),” Quicho told Radyo Singko’s Punto Asintado.

“‘Yung kalagayan ni Chief Justice ngayon ay nasa kamay na ng Panginoon sapagkat ang sakit naman ho ay talagang di naman inaasahang pangyayari ‘yan, kung talagang ganoon po, ay maluwag nating tatanggapin iyan (The condition of the Chief Justice is now in the hands of God because no one really expected him to fall ill, and if that is the case, we will openly accept that),” he added.

But he said: “Kung ebidensya lang ang pagbabasehan, matindi ang aking paniniwala na wala talagang ebidensya. Pangalawa, kung mayroon man silang sinasabing ginawa ni Chief Justice, ito po ay di impeachable offense, iyon po ang aking paniniwala (If evidence is the only basis, I firmly believe that there really is none. Second, if there is any truth to what they say the Chief Justice did, this is not an impeachable offense, this is what I believe).” (Romsanne Ortiguero, InterAksyon.com)

source: interaksyon.com

6 of 10 Filipinos believe Corona has hidden wealth -- SWS survey

MANILA, Philippines -- Several weeks before the resumption of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, a new survey revealed that more than half of Filipinos believe that Corona has hidden wealth.

Results of a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, published first on BusinessWorld on Monday, showed that 63% of Filipinos believe Corona has hidden wealth based on the supposed undeclared money and assets in his statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN). Only 12% did not believe that Corona has hidden wealth while 24% were
undecided.

Those who believe that Corona has hidden wealth are from all geographic areas and demographics and was highest in Metro Manila (77%), the Classes ABC (69%), and also among among college graduates (78%).

The SWS survey also found that 58% believed that Corona “intended to help” former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel, to “flee the country, to elude the charges she is facing.” One of the articles of impeachment by the prosecutors include the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the watchlist order on the Arroyo couple. Only 17% disagreed that Corona helped the Arroyos while 23% were undecided.

In addition, 57% agreed that “Chief Justice Corona accepted special favors like discounts in the [purchase of a] condominium and plane tickets.” Only 14% disagreed while 28% were undecided.

The same survey, conducted last March 10 to 13, found that less than half or 46% of Filipinos would support "people power" to force Corona to step down in the event he was acquitted.

Among those who support people power in case of an acquittal, the majority reached up to 56% in Mindanao and 51% among non-elementary graduates, and was a 50% plurality among the class ABC. Opinion was mixed in the Visayas where 36% agreed, 27% were undecided and 36% disagreed.

The March 2012 Social Weather Survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% for area percentages.

source: interaksyon.com