Undue influence

The hottest topic nowadays is definitely about the poll survey results on whether Corona should be convicted or acquitted in the impeachment case now being tried by the Senate. These surveys were apparently conducted after the prosecution has rested its case and the defense has just started and is still presenting its evidence. So it is expected and understandable that the surveys will show the steady decline in Corona’s trust rating.

The prosecution claims that the survey results are entirely due to its evidence presented during the trial proving Corona’s guilt of the impeachable offenses contained in the Articles of Impeachment drastically cut from eight to three. This is highly questionable however. For if such evidence is really strong enough to convict Corona, there is no more need for the continuing demolition job on Corona’s character and integrity by a series of media exposes on his alleged ill gotten properties this time located in the U.S which are not even mentioned in the impeachment charges and have no value at all in proving his guilt and convicting him.

What is clear therefore is that Corona’s low trust rating is due more to these relentless media attacks and exposures on his alleged hidden wealth that further place in doubt his moral fitness to be the CJ of the Supreme Court and shape strong public opinion against his continued hold on the highest position in the Judicial hierarchy and his stay at the top of one of the three main branches of the government. Indeed it can even be said that these continuing exposes after the prosecution has rested its case only show further that the prosecution’s evidence is not strong enough to convict.

On the other hand, the torrent of survey results clearly indicates a subtle plan either to influence the Senate-jurors of the impeachment court to decide against Corona; or more importantly, to pressure him to finally relinquish his post even before the Senate decides the impeachment case. Whoever conceived this plan perhaps did not consider that it may do more harm than good to their obvious purpose of getting rid of Corona.

Firstly, even if they are supposedly conducted in a scientific way, survey results cannot be as reliable and credible as they are claimed to be. Conducting surveys is nothing more than another business that operates to earn money rather than to render pure public service for free. Pollsters are hired to do their jobs for a fee. They have to serve the purposes of those who hire them. Hence the results depend a lot on who hire them and why they are hired and on the kind of questions ask in getting the “people’s pulse”. Undeniably, most of these questions are leading questions or questions that suggest the answers desired. Besides a sampling of opinion coming from 1,200 respondents cannot truly reflect the popular sentiment of a population now numbering more than 90 million.

Secondly, the government’s stability will be seriously undermined if the truth, correctness, legality and even wisdom of any decision or resolution to any controversy, even if it is political in nature, will be determined in a popularity contest. Decisions or resolutions to any controversy must be based on proof of facts obtained according to fixed rules than on public opinion obtained through poll surveys which can easily be manipulated and swayed by many factors. Something is true and correct not because a majority of the populace says so but because facts and circumstances duly ascertained according to set rules affirm it. Using poll surveys to determine the truth only fosters a government of men and not a government of laws.

Thirdly, this is even contrary to the very nature of our democratic form of government. While it is true that under our constitution, sovereignty resides in the people, our government is a representative rather than a direct participatory democracy. Hence when the people elected their representatives composed of Senators and Congressmen/women, they have delegated part of that sovereignty to these chosen representatives, specifically this power to initiate, try and decide the impeachment charges against Corona. In other words the people do not decide the case directly through poll surveys. They participate and decide through their chosen representatives who must vote according to the proofs presented during the trial.

Fourth, this continuing demolition job against Corona may even backfire and result in his acquittal. Destroying the character and integrity of any person with a deluge of bad publicity is really quite unfair to said person. Such unfair treatment sometimes elicits more sympathy than condemnation because Filipinos have always been known to fiercely resent and rebel against any form of unfairness. They love the underdog and readily express indignation on the use of foul and underhanded methods against anybody.

And lastly, just to prove that they are not influenced or affected by these popularity surveys and adverse publicity against Corona, the Senate-Jurors may even decide contrary to what the survey results are trying to tell them. Indeed, the credibility of the decision may even be affected by these survey results especially if the Senators’ decision will be in accordance with these alleged popular opinions now sprouting out even from a new student organization dubiously claiming to represent the entire student population in the country. Doubts will always linger on whether it is the Senate or the people who really made the decision.

These surveys and media attacks should therefore be stopped. Resolving a controversy especially an impeachment case should not be based on popular but misguided opinions. Let us allow the Senate to freely do its job and prudently decide the case as our representative. They are supposed to know better that is why we elected them.

* * *

For more articles visit our website at www.ipaglabanmo.com or e-mail us at [email protected]. Articles on criminal and labor laws compiled into books are now also available. Call 7249445