Moving on

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

With the impeachment and surprisingly decisive conviction of Chief Justice Renato Corona for his failure to fully disclose his wealth in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, or Article 2 of the impeachment charges signed by 188 members of the House of Representatives, another ugly chapter in our country’s history is closed. Now, everyone, from the Senator-judges to the defense and prosecution teams, as well as the ordinary man on the street, will have to readjust to life after being gripped by the impeachment proceedings that has finally reached a logical conclusion for the first time ever.

For the Senators and Congressmen, it is time to return their attention to many pressing issues on the legislative mill that have been put on hold by the impeachment trial. We hope that they do not forget to include the pressing issues that have been uncovered by the trial of the Chief Justice, such as the excuses he made for not fully disclosing his wealth in his SALN. If there were loopholes or grey areas in the law that could be exploited by other public officials, it is the duty of the legislature to strengthen the laws of the land to ensure that such excuses are never used again.

The Supreme Court that has been dragged into the fray by a midnight-appointed Chief Justice whose desperation in the face of impeachment made him willing to send his country into a constitutional crisis, must now take pains to recover its stature by proving to the country that Renato Corona was an anomaly. SC Justices can do that by refusing to behave like dirty mudslinging politicians and dissolving into the background as they firmly rule on legal quandaries, giving equal weight to the spirit as well as the letter of our laws; make decisions devoid of personal debts of gratitude and biases; and with a renewed appreciation for the word “final”. We hope that, with a new Chief Justice, the Supreme Court will be seen by Filipinos as supreme and independent once again.

The Executive that has widely been seen as the hand behind the removal of Renato Corona must now take pains to appoint a credible, competent and independent Chief Justice to lead the co-equal branch of government. After seeing to the removal of a CJ that was perceived to be sympathetic to his predecessor we hope that President Aquino does not right a wrong with another wrong. We hope that PNoy values the independence of the judiciary more than he values his crusade against corruption.

While the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona has finally ended, the job of nation-building never ends. The Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government, while independent of each other, need to work together for the Filipino people. With the divisive impeachment process out of the way, let us all move on towards the dream of a better Philippines.*