Impeachment pickle

Many people have asked me, in some form or another, what will happen during the impeachment process for Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.They rely on the fact that I’m a lawyer, not realizing that impeachment wasn’t really taught in law school except as a very vague process with only the end result in mind: removal of the bastard public official who raped our country and ripped off everybody who put their trust in him.Oops.I guess I got carried away.

So, here are some hard truths about the impeachment process, which we should keep in mind:

First, the prosecution doesn’t really need brilliant lawyers.Neither does Justice Corona, need a powerhouse cast of legal eagles.When you think about it, all it comes down to is, the only thing they need is to give a damn good show.

See, there’s nothing said in the law (meaning the Constitution) about what should happen during an impeachment proceeding.There doesn’t have to be opening speeches.It doesn’t have to have an order of business.Even what kind of evidence should be presented isn’t expressed in the Constitution.Everything that we’ve been seeing so far, every detail of what’s been beamed through our boob tube, is but a product of the agile minds of our Senate tribunal.In other words, our good Senators have pretty much just made it up as they’ve gone along.

For example, who speaks first, what gets presented first, who can talk, and who should shut up.All these are actually within the discretion of our Senate.If they proclaim that everybody should shuck their power suits and instead come in Bollywood outfits for the next hearing, why, there’s nothing to stop them from enforcing that rule.If they dictate the rule that Justice Corona should stop bringing his wife and lackeys and his spokesmonkey along with him to the trial, they can very well do that.

Fine, there may be some procedural rules in place, but these are products of the Senators themselves, so at any time, it can waive or amend the rules, depending on what’s expedient or necessary.At the end of the day, what’s stopping the Senate from riding roughshod over the process and just voting over Justice Corona’s guilt at this very moment are only a couple of minor, but very powerful factors.

First, the Senate’s just very afraid of setting in motion another people power revolt, a la EDSA 2.This was the unforeseen backlash resulting from the Senate’s high handed treatment of prosecutors seeking to present evidence against President Joseph Estrada, which toppled the then-president, and even several politicians’ careers.Even up to now, that fiasco continues to haunt those politicians who managed to survive, in some fashion or another, the wave of contempt that they generated.

Second, somewhat related to the first, the Senators do have their careers to think about.If they bungle this, you think they have a chance of getting re-elected?I highly doubt it.So, given the massive interest shown by the public, the nationwide television coverage generating mega media mileage, and the extensive press coverage, there’s no way the Senate can afford to look stupid or silly.This is the time for them to spruce up, look spiffy, and spout learned legalese, so they can impress both the ignoramuses and maybe, even the intelligentsia.(Or even to shut up, if that will make them preserve the carefully controlled image they’ve cultivated over the years.)

So, here’s what probably going to happen.Despite the brilliance or erudition of the prosecution and the defense, it will all boil down to what they’re going to be able to present to the Senate (ergo, through the TV, to the public) and how the public will react to it.

If what comes out will be so shocking as to offend the decencies of the common man (never mind he’s already desensitized by the endemic corruption in this country), the Senate’s going to convict Corona.On the other hand, if the viewers are fed a diet of empty charges from the prosecution and great rhetoric from the defense, he’s going to walk off scot-free.Reputation tarnished, perhaps, but still the Chief Justice.

It’s a great pickle the Senate’s in, but hey, at least it keeps them in line.Notice how they’re doing a good job so far?