Rizalist and I

With apologies to JORGE LUIS BORGES.

Philippine Commentary is now a podcast.
Dean Jorge Bocobo.

(BTW here is the original post of this item.)

Strong Words from Juan Ponce Enrile to Justice Serafin Cuevas

At the end of a long colloquy between presiding Senator Juror Juan Ponce Enrile and Lead Defense Counsel Justice Serafin Cuevas, the above statement was made by the Presiding Officer, in effect over ruling the Defense Motion and position on PROBABLE CAUSE in the impeachment case presently being tried by the Senate Impeachment Court.

Juan Ponce Enrile read substantial portions of Article 11 of the 1987 Constitution while Justice Cuevas relied on the Supreme Court's FRANCISCO DECISION

But here is the whole remarkable colloquy:

Corona Claims Hacienda Luisita Decision is Reason for Impeachment Against Him

Suggesting he singlehandedly prevented the payment of TEN BILLION PESOS to the owners of Hacienda Luisita, the Chief Justice Renato Corona claims in this part of an exclusive interview with Arnold Clavio just this morning, that this is the root and reason for the impeachment move against him.

Corona Wanted To Prove Justice Sereno a Liar in the Impeachment Court

The impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona had some remarks about Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno during his interview with GMANews' Arnold Clavio broadcast on television this morning.  I shall leave it to the readers of Philippine Commentary to decide what to make out of all these remarkable statements.    

Chief Justice Corona Says Associate Justice Antonio Carpio Wants His Job

In an exclusive interview broadcast on GMANews this morning, the impeached Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines went on the offensive as the Senate Impeachment Court decided to accept certain potentially damaging pieces of evidence against him.  But he had some interesting things to say about his fellow Justice on the High Court, Antonio Carpio.  Corona claims Carpio wants to be Chief Justice and broadly hints the latter is behind "black propaganda" against him. (Corona spoke to Arnold Clavio of GMANews directly to the Public, in an apparent nod that the Court of Public Opinion is also trying his case!))



The cutting remarks of the Chief Justice against Justice Carpio give us a RARE GLIMPSE into Supreme Court in-fighting.

Impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona Speaks Out (on TV!)

The impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona on trial in the Senate Impeachment Court, has given an exclusive interview to Arnold Clavio of GMANews television, aired earlier today by the nationwide network. In the following segment, listen to the Chief Justice explaining WHY he and his wife Christina suddenly closed several bank accounts in the Philippine Savings Bank on December 12, 2011, the day the House of Representatives impeached him.

The Oath of the Senator Judges

Senate Resolution 39 prescribes the OATH or AFFIRMATION taken by Senators-Judges when the Senate is sitting as an Impeachment Court:

“I solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of ______ ______, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws of the Philippines: (So help me God).”

This oath certainly does not create any impression in me that Miriam Defensor Santiago, after having sworn the same, could be excused for culpable violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct Rule 3.04.