Saturday, February 4, 2012

High Crimes

1987 Art XI Section 2 names the impeachable offenses:
Section 2. The President, the Vice-President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. All other public officers and employees may be removed from office as provided by law, but not by impeachment.
The second week of trial in the impeachment case of Chief Justice Renato Corona ended on a sour note for the Prosecution, as several Senator Judges (Jinggoy, Recto, Chiz) rose up to question the impeachability of offenses Corona is being accused of, or at least what they may amount to if the process of presenting evidence cannot be made more efficient and convincing.

Defense Counsel Justice Serafin Cuevas put a really fine point on it by saying that there were were no criminal or administrative sanctions for unintentional inaccuracies in ones Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

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