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17Jan/120

On Corona and Avila: Our Quest for Accountability and Justice

Truly, UP is the microcosm of the Philippine society. The case of the impeachment of the SC Chief Justice Corona is not different from the case of Avila in UP Cebu. These two cases speak of accountability, democratic governance and justice.

Corona’s impeachment is a step forward in our quest to make Arroyo accountable. His decisions favoring and protecting Arroyo, his questionable wealth and undeclared assets, and alleged corruption all prove that there was an abuse of power; his integrity is compromised and he serves not the interests of the people but only himself and Arroyo. The on-going impeachment trial subjects Corona to a process of people demanding accountability for his betrayal of public trust and failing to serve the interests of the people. Corona’s conviction will send a chilling signal to our public officials: that we mean it when we say that public office is a public trust.

Demanding accountability also plays in the case of UP Cebu Dean Avila. The case of Avila, which will be decided by the UP Board of Regents, speaks of the same circumstances in the case of Corona. Avila used her position to serve her interest, set aside democratic governance and abused the power that the UP Cebu Community trustingly gave to her. Corruption, illegal dismissal of personnel, and self-serving decisions may sound much similar to Corona’s deeds but found its way to UP Cebu thru Avila. Avila betrayed the trust of the UP Cebu community, and now they are demanding accountability and justice. To acquit Avila and reverse the ruling of the Academic Disciplinary Tribunal to dismiss them will send a wrong signal to the members of the UP community pushing for justice, democratic governance and accountability.

This is why our involvement in both cases is a crucial and key factor. The cases of Avila and Corona are a manifestation that we are serious when we say that power is in the hands of the people. To quit this battle or to fail in this will set a dangerous precedent that public officials can be corrupt, undemocratic or abusive without the people making them pay for it. It will not be the BOR or the Senate that will ensure that this happens. Ours is the power and the choice to make it happen.

We do not want the Arroyo court to be an Aquino court and we don’t want another Avila rule in UP Cebu. This means that our task doesn’t end in convicting Avila and Corona. Our involvement should be unending, our vigilance heightened and our unity strengthened that be it the Supreme Court or in UP Cebu, public officials should serve the interests of the majority. ###

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Tagged as: accountability, avila, Cebu, corona, impeachment, justice, monitor, trial, up No Comments

16Jan/120

Few points on Impeachment of CJ Corona (Coronavela)

(1) The impeachment is not a fight between Arroyo, Corona and Aquino. While the mainstream media tries to project as such, the impeachment is a fight for accountability and justice of the people against Arroyo, Corona and Aquino. Kumbaga sa teleserye, lahat sila kontra-bida.

(2) It is a fight for accountability and justice of the people against Corona because of his very partial and anti-people decisions not just as the CJ but as one of the justices in the SC. His voting record reflects his bias to Arroyo and against the people. Our quest for justice and accountability against Arroyo is good as zero with Corona on the SC.

(3) Of course, this impeachment is also about Arroyo. CJ Corona, as a midnight appointee of Arroyo, protects the former president and prevents her from being prosecuted. If we have solely followed the ruling of the SC, Arroyo will be outside of the Phils by now and not in our custody. To impeach Corona is to make sure that Arroyo will be made accountable to her crimes against the people
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(4) To be pro-impeachment is not to be pro-Aquino. Our goal is to make the court independent, free from being pro-Arroyo or pro-Aquino. We want the SC to be only pro-people. The last thing that we need is an SC dominated by appointees by Aquino. This is why we should be vigilant as Aquino might take this opportunity to manipulate the court. Remember, what is also at stake here is the redistribution of the largest family-owned hacienda in Southeast Asia—the Hacienda Luisita owned by the Cojuangco-Aquino. For sure, political interest will take part in this process.

(5) Impeachment of CJ Corona is not a security that Arroyo will be made accountable and that the court will be independent from Aquino or Arroyo. Our unending task is to make sure that the SC will serve the interests of the people. This is why our involvement is crucial, not to be pro-Corona or pro-Aquino, but as citizens of the nation exercising our right to make erring public officials accountable and make our institutions serve not the interest of the elites but of the people.

*Aquino cannot be trusted on his seriousness to make Arroyo accountable. It took him 500 days to file a case against Arroyo and the case that he filed is relatively weak compared to other known crimes by Arroyo. What will surely count on this process of making Arroyo accountable is our involvement, the people’s involvement.

**Join the citizen's movement to monitor the impeachment process, make Corona, Arroyo and Aquino accountable and uphold an independent judiciary. This is the #i-monitor movement.

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