Impeachment of Corona?

There’s widespread talk that 90 Congressmen are preparing an 8-count impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona which will be sent to the Senate without going through the Committee on Justice.

If true, it would be a most damaging act to the independence of the Supreme Court. It would be a blatant abuse of the constitutionally ordained system of checks and balances and inter-branch comity. It may set the table for a revolutionary government.

Fortunately, it will require a vote of 16 Senators to oust the Chief Justice which will be extremely difficult to achieve. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Chiz Escudero, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Joker Arroyo, Gregorio Honasan and Alan Peter Cayetano have been critical of the President’s twin attacks on the Supreme Court.

Aggravating the situation is the advanced move to impeach SC Justice Mariano del Castillo for plagiarism.

 Having a Supreme Court controlled by the President introduces a clear and present danger to the legislature itself and could lead to a dictatorial government.

As our fellow columnist Prof. Alex Magno observed:

 “The President may privately disagree with some of the Court’s rulings but republican ethics prohibits him from publicly disagreeing with them. It is the Court, not the President, that is entitled to rule with finality on legal and constitutional disputes. Otherwise, the rule of law dissipates and everything becomes a matter of pedestrian opinion or political popularity. That is the ground on which despotism grows.”

Hold your horses, honorable Members of Congress. Unwittingly, you may also be diminishing the equal standing of the legislative branch.

*      *      *

EXTREME LAWLESSNESS. . . The shooting of Kakusa Party-list Representative Ranulfo Canonigo outside his home in Marikina by 3 armed men riding in 2 motorcycles is the latest exclamation point to the extremely deteriorated peace and order condition in the country. Ironically, the crime was done on International Human Rights Day. Assassins for hire have become a big business and riding in tandem murderers have gone about their crimes with impunity and again demonstrate the helplessness of the PNP and the DILG.

The day before Canonigo’s ambush, a gym owner, Randy Padua, 39, was also shot dead in front of his house by a lone gunman also in Marikina at Barangay Parang. The Dr. Felisa C|hua dental clinic was robbed in Roosevelt, Quezon City with employee Kristy Gene Topinio, 21, shot dead by the robber.

Bus holdups on Edsa and hijacking of cargo trucks are routinely committed. Saturday night, a cargo truck with P2 million worth of meat products was hijacked as it left North Harbor, Manila.

*      *      *

NO PROGRAM. . . UP College of Nursing Professor Merle T. Mejico is critical of the lack of a Mental Health program in the Department of Health. She said that there are only 2 centers for the mentally ill operating, the National Mental Hospital in Mandaluyong and the Vicente Sotto Hospital in Cebu. She claimed that the National Mental Hospital is so low in budget, it cannot even provide soap for the patients and meals consist of only one piece of tuyo (dried fish).

The last few months there have been at least 4 killings by the police of persons who ran amuck and whom the police claimed are mentally ill. Yes, they are roaming the streets. Sec. Ona, what do you say, sir?

*      *      *

ANOTHER COMPLAINT VS. ABAD. . . Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta and Vice Mayor Ronald Allan Nalupta of Batac City are complaining that even as the Supreme Court decision upholding the creation of 16 cities became final on June 28, DBM Secretary Butch Abad refuses to restore and release the funds due them as a city.

That’s very unfair considering that when the earlier Supreme Court decision voided the creation of the cities, the DBM immediately recalled the funds due them as a city.

*      *      *

OMITTED DUE TO A TYPSETTING ERROR . . . The name of BIR Commissioner Kim Henares was omitted from the list of top ten performing Sub-Cabinet officials. She’s actually No. 1 on the list with PCSO Chairman Margarita Juico in 2nd and Pagcor Chairman Cristino “Bong” Naguiat 3rd. Others in the top ten are ERC Chairman Zenaida C. Ducut, MTRCB Chair Grace Poe Llamanzares, BCDA Chairman Felicito Payumo, CDC President Felipe “Ping” Remollo, OWWA Chairman Carmelita Dimzon, PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista and PDIC President Valentin Araneta.

Also deserving of mention are Pag-ibig President Darlene Berberabe and MECO Representative Amadeo Perez Jr.

*      *      *

LAOAG UPDATE. . . The Samahang Kababaihan sa Barangay, Inc. of Laoag City celebrated its 28th anniversary with 5,000 women leaders in attendance. Highlight of the affair was the awarding of 30 model parents of Laoag.

 The affair was managed by the following officers: President — Atty. Ameurfina A. Respicio; Vice-President — Ms. Estela Damo; Secretary - Mrs. Marilyn Gonzales; Asst. Secretary - Mrs. Merlita Pascual; Treasurer - Mrs. Marina Bautista; Asst. Treasurer — Ms. Hermelina Domingo; Auditor — Ms. Esmeralda de la Cruz and Public Information Officer — Mrs. Flofeli Seriosa. Also helping was Provincial Board Member Portia Respicio Salenda.

Laoag City is progressing with several new hotels and a new Robinson’s Mall.

There’s talk that Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos is running for the Senate following the example of the Cayetanos.

*      *      *

TIDBITS. . . There are now 200,000 Filipinos in Australia. Salaries in Australia are higher than in the US or Canada. 

Imus RTC Judge Cesar Mangrobang declared Emmanuel Maliksi as the real winner of the 2010 elections ousting Mayor Homer Saquilayan, a protégé of the Remullas. Saquilayan has appealed.

Greetings to Noli Puentevella of Bacolod, Nelson Yu of Dagupan, Barangay Chairman Dr. Noel Daquioag of Laoag, Mayor Edito Alberto G. Balintona of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte and Provincial Board Member Joel Garcia of Ilocos Norte.