Corona won't heed calls to resign

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Renato Corona has put an end to calls for his resignation, choosing to fight his impeachment during trial at the Senate over a peaceful life he could enjoy should he relinquish his post.

The embattled Supreme Court chief admitted that resignation had crossed his mind. But he said he realized it would be more worthy defending the judiciary from attack by a President who he believes is slowly becoming a dictator.

“I am 63 years old already, the same age as one who has retired and has a peaceful life. If I give up, I probably will have that same life,” he said.

“But what will happen if we allow the executive to control the judiciary? Where will the oppressed go to if the SC will be subservient to the President?” he told public attorneys in his speech during their annual mandatory continuing legal education at the Manila Hotel last Thursday.

Corona said he believes fighting his impeachment for the independence of the judiciary and for the rule of law is his “obligation to the people.”

“What I’m fighting for is not just for myself because I would have opted the easy way out and I would have inhibited or resigned to do away with the insults if that were the case,” he said in Filipino.

He believes his fight is for “civil rights, rule of law and freedom, and democracy principles.”

Corona said the allegations hurled against him in the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives were quite surprising, but vowed to answer them point-by-point anyway in the trial that is set to start on Jan. 16.

“They threw everything at me. When I read it (complaint), I asked myself: Is it really me they are talking about? Because I know my whole life I am not a bad man,” he said.

Corona said he believes that his swift impeachment by allies of the Aquino administration in the House of Representatives last Dec. 12 was “brought about by his greed to have a Supreme Court that he can dictate upon and, even with just a glimpse, that will quickly command his wishes.”

Still, he said he was already preparing for his defense.

Corona already made this statement, but the Palace still insisted on his resignation last Friday.

Various sectors have called on both camps to just allow the impeachment trial to settle the issue once and for all, since Corona anyway believes the Senate would be fair.

Corona had earlier debunked the allegations that his appointment was illegal and that he had refused to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Judges and court employees nationwide held a court holiday to support him last Wednesday.

Various groups have also rallied behind him and protested his impeachment in Congress: the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Philippine Constitution Association, Supreme Court Assembly of Lawyers-Employees Inc., Philippine Association of Court Employees, Judiciary Employees Association, and the Las Piñas City Judges Association.

The groups condemned the alleged railroading of the impeachment complaint and accused the Palace of disregarding the rule of law.