By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) Updated December 13, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Hours before the House of Representatives voted to impeach him yesterday, Chief Justice Renato Corona rallied the judiciary and his supporters to "remain ready and vigilant" against what he called a "scheme that will destroy democracy."
The first chief justice to be impeached broke his silence a week after getting a public tongue lashing from President Aquino, who accused him of undermining the integrity of the judiciary with his alleged partiality toward former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Critics consider Corona a midnight appointee because he assumed the post when Reynato Puno retired on May 17, a week after the 2010 elections. But the Supreme Court (SC) upheld Corona's appointment.
"I want all of you to know that your chief justice continues to be in command and will lead the fight against any and all who dare to destroy the court and the independence of the judiciary," he told justices and employees at the flag-raising ceremony at the Supreme Court yesterday.
"We do not want to see a constitutional crisis befall our democracy, but if we are challenged to defend our independence we shall not meekly walk away," the SC chief stressed. "My fellow court workers, we stand together."
Corona said he had opted to keep his silence despite the President's tirades and "to let things pass in the spirit of peace and in the spirit of Christmas," but when he learned of the "mobilization of a secret plan" to oust him "by any means fair or foul," he decided to make a move.
"My silence does not mean anything more than caution and patience. Let no one mistake my silence as a sign of weakness," he explained.
"I have been quietly preparing and will be ready to take more determined steps in the coming days," he revealed.
"Do not forget, I am here, I am not going anywhere. I am your defender and most of all I am your chief justice. Together we will face these challenges and fight all who dare to destroy the court and our system of justice under the Constitution," he told members of the judiciary.
The SC chief also reminded his men to "keep the administration of justice going and maintain fidelity to your duty to render efficient and impartial public service" and "perform your jobs and stick to your principles, to our principles."
He told them that their duty to the Filipino is "not borne of electoral campaigns or the quest for publicity" but to "uphold and defend the Constitution."
"In the words of Jose Rizal, it is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming the part of any edifice. You and I are but stones in this edifice called the Supreme Court," he said.
Corona also warned members of the judiciary not to let the "enemies of the court" divide them.
"By continuing with uninterrupted dedication to our work we will prove all our critics and detractors wrong," he said.
He called the alleged ouster plot "a great concern to the court."
On Sunday, SC spokesman Midas Marquez denounced the "attempt to initiate and railroad the impeachment proceedings against members of the court being labeled as enemies of the President."
"These plans pose direct threat to the independence of the court and the judiciary," Marquez said.
A source told The STAR over the weekend that Corona's impeachment would depend largely on how the high court would decide on the validity of the joint panel that filed charges of electoral sabotage against Arroyo. Officials from the Department of Justice and the Commission on Elections comprise the joint panel.
The Corona-led SC shot down Aquino's first executive order creating a truth commission to investigate alleged anomalies perpetrated by Arroyo and some of her officials.
More recently, the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Justice department's travel ban on Arroyo. But Justice Secretary Leila de Lima defied the TRO and ordered immigration officials to prevent Arroyo from boarding a plane bound for Hong Kong last Nov. 15. The former president wanted to travel abroad, purportedly to seek treatment for her troublesome cervical spine. Her political foes believe she wanted to leave the country to escape prosecution.
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