Impeachment Trial of Renato C. Corona

        

Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 27, Day 28, Day 29, Day 30, Day 31, Day 32, Day 33, Day 34, Day 35, Day 36, Day 37, Day 38, Day 39, Day 40, Day 41, Day 42, Day 43, Day 44

Day 1,  Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 , Day 5, Day 6, Day 6, Day 7 , Day 8 , Day 9, Day 11,  Day 12 , Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18,  Day 19,  Day 20 , Day 21, Day 22,

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Politics corruption scandals  Philippine Politics

A crown of thorns?

Philippines Chief Justice Renato Corona, last week, sounding arrogant and confrontational before his impeachment trial began, said on television that he was willing to “donate” all his 30 or 40 undeclared properties in question to the government.

With his righteous demeanor, I hope, for his reputation and integrity, the impeachment procedure will find him “not guilty,” which he has repeatedly claimed to be.
  
The law is clear that a thief who is proven guilty and decides under fire to return his loot to escape justice is still a criminal who deserves nothing but a jail term and disdain from society…and that stolen properties can not be used as a bargaining chip.

The appropriate law would be especially more Solomonic if the one who broke the law was a president or a chief magistrate, because, like all other public officials, both Gloria Arroyo and Corona MUST BE HELD, not to a HIGHER, but to the HIGHEST standard of law and justice. After all, they occupied the highest and most honorable positions in the land and had sworn to uphold our moral code and the constitution, and protect the people and our nation.

A police officer who steals a dollar is worse than a common thief who steals ten. A priest who molests someone commits a graver sin to society compared to a sex offender on the street. A judge who commits any injustice is the antithesis of the law.

Like Arroyo, Chief Justice Corona should be presumed innocent of the charges against him till proven guilty in the court of law. They deserve this right, in spite of the apparent contempt they have for the decent and law-abiding Filipinos and the legal system of the Republic. Corona and Arroyo must have their day in court. The integrity of the whole nation is at stake. The people demand justice. Let’s make sure they get it without special treatment, fairly, and swiftly.

If they are found guilty, all their confirmed ill-gotten wealth/properties must be confiscated, and they must go to jail. The same penalty and legal prescription you and I, ordinary citizens, would get if we had committed the same crime. And NO PARDON either. There must be accountability and equality in the eyes of the law for all of us. The same punishment for the same crime for everyone. No one must be above the law. We must, as a civilized society, have equal justice for all!

Let us be vigilant, watch, and listen to the proceedings of the impeachment with open mind and open heart, with wisdom and compassion. Let our intelligence, mental honesty, and respect for the law and our constitution guide our actions and reactions. Let justice starts with us, we the people, and not prejudge anyone.

We must remember that what are on trial and a stake here are not only Corona and Arroyo and their reputation, but our national morality, integrity, dignity, justice system, and honor as a people and as a nation.

May God bless the Philippines and the Filipinos!

*********************************************************************************

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana, USA, trained at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, is Chairman of Filipino United Network (FUN-USA), Vice Chairman of Filipino American Leadership Council (FALCONadvocacy) and Vice President for Far East of Cardiovascular Hospitals of America, Wichita, Kansas. He is a columnist for five newspapers and one magazine in the United States and five newspapers and one magazine in the Philippines. Author of Lets Stop "Killing" Our Children, A simplified survival guide for parents and society to save our children.




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Renato Corona Cries & Fight

Some 100 mass attendees mostly judiciary employees sang “The Impossible Dream” at a mass sponsored by Renato Corona’s supporters. It was reported that the Corona couple was seen wiping their tears, it was just not clear if the song made them cry or was it how they sang it? Anyway, for whatever its worth the Corona couple truly deserved to be nominated to a best acting award with the Famas except reality shows specifically one about jerks unlike tele-novela is not about acting so scratch that, LOL.

The noose is tightening and the drama intensifies with so much at stake (nah, the stake is not about reputation, hehehe), it is to be expected that praise release errr I meant reports about the players in the impeachment trial will try to outdo each other on who can grab the limelight for the best sound byte material for the 2013 election.

Of course Mr. Corona & family will be the most sought after not because they are the media darling but theirs is the biggest scandal now that makes for good headlines. Love the way he fights as if on cue he acts as if he is the poster boy of judiciary independence and democracy just like his former boss Gloria Arroyo who desperately tries to portray herself as the poster girl of freedom from flight este travel, to quote:

This is not my personal fight, this is the fight of the judiciary and democracy. If this [fight] is only for me, there is a simple solution. But this is not my personal fight. We will make known what is right under our Constitution.

Excuse me but did you not cheat errrr took the seat in the most frowned upon manner called midnight appointment clearly reserved for the uncouth thick skinned whose utter lack of decency and propriety maligns the position in unjustly clinging to it shamelessly?

It just gets better from hereon when Renato Corona utters this below:

Ang problema sa ibang tao, hindi ko na sasabihin kung sino, akala nila magnanakaw ako tulad nila (The problem with my detractors is that they think I'm a thief like them).

Wow that says a lot but when one who believes or was it deludes themselves they can do no wrong it loses its luster and gets to be a bad joke especially when he says this:

Eh di ilabas nila. Kung mailalabas nila iyong properties ko ibibigay ko na lang sa kanila (So disclose it. If they could produce the properties they can have them)…I will sign a deed of donation, Corona told reporters after the 7th day of Novena at the Supreme Court.

Really now, so here it is in the subpoena of the prosecution team detailing 45 properties under his name, the wife Cristina and children:

Property titles and supporting docs

Makati City  

• 1. CCT no. 85716 in the name of Cristina R. Corona married to Renato Corona 

Paranaque/Pasay City  

• 2. TCT No. 58643 in the name of spouses Constantino L. Castillo and Rosenda A. Castillo 

Marikina City 

• 3. TCT No. N-97119 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 4. TCT No. N-97120 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 5. TCT No. N-97121 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 6. TCT No. N-97122 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 7. TCT No. N-97123 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 8. TCT No. N-97123 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 9. TCT No. N-97125 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 10.TCT No. N-85804 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona

Taguig City

• 11. CCT No. 5582 in the name of Ma. Cristina R. Corona married to Renato C. Corona 
• 12. CCT No. 164-2010000062 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 13. CCT No. 164-2010000063 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 14. CCT No. 164-2010000064 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 15. CCT No. 164-2010000065 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 16. CCT No. 19497 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 17. CCT No. 19651 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 18. CCT No. 19652 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 19. CCT No. 19653 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 20. CCT No. 8777 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 21. TCT No. 989 in the name of spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona 
• 22. TCT No. 2093-P in the name Ma. Cristina R. Corona

Quezon City

• 23. TCT No. 004-20100000410 in the name of Cristina R. Corona et al. 
• 24. TCT No. RT-77725 (16799) in the name of Vicente Roco, Jr. married to Asuncion Basa 
• 25. TCT No. 85121 in the name of spouses Renato C. Corona and Cristina R. Corona 
• 26. TCT No. 004-20100001387 (from TCT No. 85121) in the name of spouses Rhodel V. Rivera and Amelia Rivera 
• 27. TCT No. 004-2010007780 (from TCT No. 88985) in the name of Erlinda S. Castro 
• 28. TCT No. N-254901 in the name of Cristina R. Corona married to Renato Corona 
• 29. TCT No. 004-2010010259 (fromTCT No. N-254901) in the name of Ma. Carla C. Castillo married to Constantino T. Castillo Jr. 
• 30. TCT No. N-154400 in the name of spouses Angelina T. Castillo and Constantino A. Castillo 
• 31. TCT No. N-239406 in the name of Constantino del Castillo et al. 
• 32. TCT No. N-239398 (from TCT No. 226256, RT-106747) in the name of Constantino del Castillo 
• 33. TCT No. RT-106747 (226256) in the name of National Housing Authority  
• 34. CCT No. N-35812 (from CCT No. N-11168) in the name of spouses Renato C. Corona and Cristina R. Corona 
• 35. CCT No. N-11168 in the name of Burgundy Realty Corporation 
• 36. TCT No. RT-62661 (82917) in the name of Constantino L. Castillo married to Felisa A. Castillo 
• 37. TCT No. N-327732 in the name of Constantino T. Castillo III married to Ma. Carla C. Castillo 
• 38. TCT No. N-125683 Myrla Nelad-Bajar married to Beneroso E. Bajar (sold to Constantino Castillo III) 
• 39. TCT No. N-260027 in the name of Constantino T. Castillo III married to Carla R. Corona 
• 40. TCT No. RT-20758 in the name of Daniel G. Encia married to Domiciana Atrero (sold to Constantino Castillo III) 
• 41. TCT No. RT-3191 (163660) in the name of Renato C. Corona married to Ma. Cristina R. Corona 
• 42. TCT No. RT-3190 (163659) in the name of Eugenia Coronado married to Juan M. Corona 
• 43. TCT No. 84242 in the name of spouses Constantino Castillo Jr. and Angelina T. Castillo 
• 44. TCT No. 84241 in the name of Ismael A. Mathay Jr. et al. 
• 45. TCT No. N-141891 in the name of Renato C. Corona married to Cristina R. Corona

Well, from the looks of it and if the TCT is under Corona and his close relative’s name all the prosecution need to do is determine if they still own the properties and how they acquired or disposed of the properties in case they claim it is not theirs anymore. Amassing 45 properties is quite a feat and one has to be loaded in order to do so. Was that a fringe benefit when one works for high ranking politicians in office legit or otherwise? If it is it appears to be a very lucrative position beating even some CEO’s of multi-national companies.

It makes me wonder if people are really treating Corona seriously when he says whoever find his properties he will gladly sign a  deed of donation. Unfortunately it is not as simple as deeding it for donation if the allegations are true, it will be confiscated by the state since it belongs to the people not for him to donate or give away.

Impeachment 01

For a more detailed report read the Corona assets worth P200M by Cynthia D. Balana, Juliet Labog-Javellana of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.Now that alone should be enough to convict Renato Corona but it seems this is just the tip of the iceberg according to the prosecutors, sure don't want Corona to resign now. The impeachment proceedings will definitely be a teachable learning experience for all of us so as not to repeat the same aberration once again.......

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Politics corruption scandals  Philippine Politics

Ruby Rose Barrameda Case Unclosed

Case Unclosed Ruby Rose Barrameda part 1

Case Unclosed Ruby Rose Barrameda part 2

 

Case Unclosed Ruby Rose Barrameda part 3

Case Unclosed Ruby Rose Barrameda part 4

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Filipinos  Philippine Politics Human Rights desaparecidos

Some musings on the Dick team errr the Corona defense team

This early we are seeing the kind of lawyers Corona has assembled to put up a defense so he cannot be fired from his job.

What in the name of dense thickest hide one can ever have will go through all this embarrassing episode of their life when they could have easily avoided this by simply having a sense of propriety? Oh wait but how can we ask someone who has none or have a clue what propriety is.

Here are some of the babble we hear from the Dicks errr Corona Team led by retired justice Cuevas:

I would like to believe the first day will not proceed immediately on the trial of the merits. There are so many preliminaries that may take place and may eat up the agenda of the impeachment court of that day. Second, we have alleged in our answer an affirmative defense.

Translation, that’s part of our tactics so quit complaining, the longer the trial last the better for us lieyers errr lawyers desperately seeking attention to ourselves.

They say we are delaying the proceedings...but that's part of our answer and the law allows that.

Translation, live with it we are the dicks team on the lookout for loopholes, why do you think Corona stuck to his midnight appointment if we don't think the same? In the dick heads mindset the law has to be very specific and if it does not spell their name on it that means they are the exception to the rule, LOL.

The defense questions the 188 signatories to the impeachment, does that mean they believe the representatives have no mind of their own and their signatures meant squat?

Dennis Matalo errr Manalo of the Corona team questions the involvement or congress people using the services of private lawyers. Why, is he paying for it or he is just jealous they may be getting paid unlike them who works "pro-bono"?

Are we supposed to be impressed that these lawyers of the Dick team errr Corona are working for free out of principle? But then again what principle are we talking about when the cheap errr the CJ so cheapens the position by accepting his midnight appointment. 

Ahhh it’s the lure and allure of free self-promotion via the idiot box, whoever can grandstand the best gets noticed and possibly clients too. What kind of clients if I may ask? Well, what else do they expect but someone with a thick hide too or even worse because if they can save someone like Corona from getting the boot down his behind I am sure there will be others in the same predicament.

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Politics corruption scandals  Philippine Politics

$2 Verizon one-time fee for credit card payment Vs. 99%

We Won! As I access my email in my inbox something tells me that this is different and not the usual you won a lottery spam since it says we instead of you won. Still I hesitated to open it because I have no recollection of entering any lottery of sorts so what is it that I did to deserve a winning email? Perhaps this is about Mr. Winning of the Two and a half men fame, but why will I get an email from Charlie Sheen? I am not celebrity or someone who is famous not even infamous so scratch that one out.

The sender is Molly Katchpole, a name that is so familiar but can't recall where and how until it dawned on me that she is not just my idol hero but our hero. She is the dragon slayer,  the one who slew Bank of America’s $5 ATM fee that she successfully thwarted through her petition. So what did we win this time, a new car? Nah, but another sweet victory for the 99%, to quote the email message:

Molly again, with huge news:

Verizon just announced that it's not going to charge customers a fee to pay our bills online.

Two nights ago, I started a petition on Change.org telling Verizon that it can't nickel and dime customers like me with new fees. Within hours, more than 130,000 of us signed the petition. (Thanks, by the way -- you're amazing!)

It took months of hard work to get Bank of America to drop its $5 debit card fee, but Verizon backed down in less than 24 hours. Turns out people like you and me are getting more powerful by the day.

Congrats, and happy New Year!

- Molly

Well how about that, what refreshing news as the New Year approaches. Corporate America seems to be listening to people’s sentiments or was it more of a backlash? Times are hard and difficult and consumers are so hard up nowadays that any unwarranted fee gets the consumers ire. Who wouldn’t be upset when you feel you are being unduly taken advantage of? It might not be much since it was just a $2 fee but it adds up when you pay the fee every month when you pay your bill online using your credit or debit card.

What prompted Verizon Wireless to change gears and reverse itself was a day after they announced the planned fee the petition started by Molly Katchpole at move.org already gathered 95,000 signatures.

Now that is something that people in the Philippines will be amazed at the swiftness of the response and how fast Verizon Wireless reverses their plan. Verizon Wireless serves a total of 91 million subscribers, had that been in the Philippines they would have argued that 95K is a miniscule number compared to the total number of subscribers so why will they reverse their plan? Well for one corporate America seems to be transforming and not just like the cheap errrr chief justice Renato Corona who uses every loophole available to him in order to stay in a position that he never deserve in the first place. An honorable position that he has no qualm in soiling and destroying whatever credibility and integrity it has if there is any left after he has dishonored it beyond recognition.

With 69% of the people who thinks Gloria Arroyo is treated fairly and 13% thinking she is given a special treatment by the Aquino administration, a number so encouraging that maybe there is still hope for change. Perhaps 2012 will be the start of a new beginning where we can once again bring back delicadeza in our leaders’ vocabulary and corruption treated as a fluke instead of the norm.

Happy New Year!

May this year brings us a true legacy that we can all be proud of and not the kind that sick leaders of the past like the Marcoses and the Arroyo's had been shoving in our throats.....

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