Noy, CJ urged: Don't bring dispute to public

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Senator Francis Escudero appealed yesterday to the camps of President Aquino and Chief Justice Renato Corona to avoid bringing their dispute to the public and instead allow the Senate impeachment court to resolve the case.

Escudero told local radio station RMN here that the row between the President and the Chief Justice could affect the country’s economy.

He said while there is no law that prevents the camps of Aquino and Corona from engaging in a public word war, they should let the Senate impeachment court handle the case.

He said personally, dragging the case into the public arena is unfortunate.

“Although there is an impeachment process, we can not stop them, we can not prevent them. Then what they should do? Try to avoid it. There is a trial at the Senate – the impeachment is not good for our economy and our country, more so if the two top officials will feud in public, wash their dirty linen in public. It’s not good,” Escudero said in Filipino. “They should just let the impeachment trial be completed.”

Escudero said that if both camps have issues to raise they should bring them to their lawyers and allow the court to hear the case.

Meanwhile, as the case has dragged on for almost a month now, the senator appealed to the public, which is getting restless and impatient, and warned the impeachment will not solve the economic problem.

Escudero said everyone in the impeachment court is looking forward to the conclusion of the case. However, the prosecution panel has not yet finished presenting its evidence and the defense has also to present its evidence.