Ex-Corona lawyer: PNoy impeachment possible
MANILA, Philippines - A former defense lawyer in the impeachment trial of deposed Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona believes that President Aquino could be impeached for meeting with the senator-judges in 2012.
In an interview on ANC's Headstart, Atty. Judd Roy said Aquino may have violated the Revised Penal Code's provisions on direct bribery, indirect bribery and corruption of public officials.
"If you can impeach some guy for not filling in his SALN completely, you can surely impeach someone for trying to distort the outcome of the case, improperly," Roy said.
The former lawyer of Corona agreed with Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago's statement that the President may lobby for the result of the trial, within bounds.
Read: Miriam: It's legal for PNoy to try to influence Corona trial
However, Roy said that "within bounds" excludes the senator-judges.
"You can go out and talk about it publicly. You want to say something to the court? Enter your appearance, testify if you want. But never, never talk to the judges, even if he's your partymate," Roy said.
The lawyer added that the meetings between Aquino and the senator-judges were also wrong since these should have been done in a proper forum such as the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council.
"This is an institutionalized process where they consult, they discuss, they try to align their priorities... and work they out their 'deals' so to speak," Roy said.
He also said there was no law-making during the impeachment trial.
"This is one of the most sacred duties given to the senators. It is provided by no less than the Constitution, to render justice on a very crucial issue. To remove the highest official of the land, whether elected, appointed, and so forth. Don’t you think at the very least, if not more, they should be bound by the ethical norms?"
Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. claimed that in a meeting with Aquino during the impeachment trial, the President personally asked him to vote for the conviction of Corona.
Aquino admitted meeting with Revilla and three more senators, but only to confirm reports that they were being pressured by some groups who are trying to influence the outcome of the case.
The President denied that he was pressuring the senators as well.
But for Roy, this denial does not mean that Aquino did not ask the senator-judges to vote for Corona's conviction.
"The President said that I never pressured them into convicting him. He did not say I never asked them. They're two different things. The mere request is commission of the offense. That is the shield, the mantle of protection that we try to insulate judges with. Bawala talaga 'yon kahit wala kang malisya."
Will impeachment prosper?
Roy said whether or not the impeachment complaint against Aquino is going to happen is a different thing.
"We're not aloof to the realities of the politics here," Roy said, stressing that the President has several allies in Congress.
On Monday, Malacañang said the move to impeach the President may be started by the members of the House of Representatives, but the President is prepared for it.
The Palace said there was nothing improper in the meetings between Aquino and the senators since the impeachment trial was also a political process.
But it added that the public should also be the judge on the propriety of the meetings.
"Sa amin pong assessment, wala pong impropriety sa bagay na iyon," Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma said in a press briefing.
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PNoy confirms meeting with Jinggoy, other senators during Corona trial
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