SETTING in motion a historic proceeding, the Senate yesterday began its task as an impeachment court convened to hear the petition of 188 representatives seeking to remove Chief Justice Renato Corona for alleged  graft and corruption, culpable violations of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who acts as presiding officer, reminded his fellow senator-judges that they have a constitutional mandate and duty to resolve the case which they “have no discretion to postpone or evade.” 

This is one of the reasons why the impeachment court denied the motion of Corona to conduct first a preliminary hearing on the impeachment complaint filed against him. Enrile ruled that there is “no more need for a preliminary hearing” on the matter. 

“The Senate should proceed for that is the mandate given to us. The trial of the Chief Justice on the articles of impeachment is in accordance with the mandate of the Constitution. In view of the foregoing, the motion filed by Chief Justice Corona is denied for want of merit,” Enrile said.

In his opening statement, Enrile told fellow senator-judges that by its very nature, the work they are about to conduct “is unique.” It is a rendition of justice “outside our traditional judicial system and it carries with it a grave and serious responsibility,” he said. He added: “It deviates from our ordinary or normal functions and duties as legislators.” 

“As jurors, it is our obligation and responsibility to closely and diligently examine the evidence and the facts to be presented before us, to determine whether such evidence and facts sufficiently and convincingly support the charges, and ultimately, to decide the fate of no less than the Chief Justice of the Highest Court of the land, and the head of a co-equal branch of our government,” he said.

Corona’s defense panel includes retired Justice Serafin Cuevas, former Justice Undersecretary Ramon Esguerra, Eduardo de los Angeles, Jacinto Jimenez, Jose Roy III, Joel Bodegon, German Lichauco II, Tranquil Salvador III, Rico Paolo Quicho, Karen Jimeno, Dennis Manalo, and Noel Lazaro.

The House prosecution panel is composed of Representatives Niel Tupas Jr., Joseph Emilio Abaya, Giorgidi Aggabao, Arlene Bag-ao, Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Neri Colmenares, Raul Daza, Rodolfo Fariñas, Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Sherwin Tugna, Reynaldo Umali.

Corona, accompanied by his wife and son, opted to appear personally during the trial. Cuevas described his client’s appearance at the court as manifestation of his desire to show his innocence. “We made him appear to show his respect to the honorable body and to show to the entire world that he is prepared to enter his defense and convince this body that he is entitled to an acquittal. He is entering a plea of not guilty on all the charges (in the impeachment complaint),” Cuevas said. 

Sen. Franklin Drilon stood up to question Cuevas’ gesture. He reminded Cuevas that the court was merely asking for the formal appearances of the defense and prosecution counsels and they are refrained from making any manifestation. 

Enrile noted that the House of Representatives impeaches on the basis of its determination of the sufficiency of the charges both in form and in substance, and of the existence of probable cause.

The Senate, meanwhile, bears the sole responsibility to try and decide whether to convict or to acquit the respondent in an impeachment case, that is, whether or not the respondent official deserves to be removed from the office he or she occupies, based on the grounds dictated in the Constitution, he said.

“While it has often been said that, by and large, the trial in an impeachment case is political in nature, nonetheless, such is neither an excuse nor a license for us to ignore and abandon our solemn and higher obligation and responsibility as a body of jurors to see to it that the Bill of Rights are observed and that justice is served, and to conduct the trial with impartiality and fairness, to hear the case with a clear and open mind, to weigh carefully in the scale the evidence against the respondent, and to render to him a just verdict based on no other consideration than our Constitution and laws, the facts presented to us, and our individual moral conviction,” he said.

“I would like to remind the opposing sides, my colleagues, as well as the public and the media, that this trial will be governed by the Rules we have adopted. I therefore urge everyone to fully cooperate in the orderly conduct of these proceedings in accordance with the Rules, to demonstrate civility and to observe the decorum that is required for us to carry out our respective duties with dispatch, with honor and with dignity,” he said.

Enrile added: “As I preside over this impeachment trial, allow me to assure one and all that I am committed and determined to see this process all the way to its completion. Let us finish the job, for our Oath demands no less from us.”

The Senate chief also stressed that although it is the chief justice of the Supreme Court that is on trial, the nation should face the reality that the conduct of this trial and its outcome “will necessarily have a serious impact on the entire nation,” he said.

“Its success or failure to achieve the purpose for which the Constitution has provided this mechanism as part of our system of checks and balances and of public accountability, may spell the success or failure of our democratic institutions, the strengthening or weakening of our sense of justice as a people, our stability or disintegration as a nation, and the triumph or demise of the rule of law in our land,” he said.