Augmentation and rebate.

That’s what this ruthlessly taxed fixed-income earner signed on for.

But Ped Xing heard it wrong. It turned out that the call was for argumentation and debate.

Well, if that’s the case, then let’s have more of them. Maybe something good would come out of the discourse. 

After long, winding deliberations in the impeachment court, something big finally came out of the historic proceedings.   

The vote of the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to open the bank accounts of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona and to summon executives of the Philippine Savings Bank and the Bank of the Philippine Islands clinched a decidedly clear victory for the prosecution at the impeachment trial.

Former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Perfecto R. Yasay Jr. pointed out that “this is clearly a victory of the prosecution” headed by Iloilo Rep. Niel C. Tupas Jr..

Yasay cautioned the prosecution, however, and all those following the impeachment process that this should not be taken as a blanket authority to pry open every bank account of any individual because everyone was still covered by the “equal protection of the law”. The impeachment “is only an exception, and it should remain that way,” he added.

The former SEC chief, also a prominent lawyer, asserted that he was neither for the prosecution nor for the defense panel.

“I give credit where credit is due,” he said, adding that the impeachment court’s approval of opening the bank accounts has boosted the chances of the prosecution to prove  its case.

Michael Fernandez, former chairman of the thousand-strong Councilors League of the Philippines said: “Our people all around the country must now heave a sigh of relief and  see that the ends of justice will be served.”

“Now it can be told that Congressman Tupas has achieved a solid victory against all odds thrown at every point by the defense panel,” Fernandez said.  “Tupas looked clobbered, but in the end and after the final reckoning of Article 2 of the impeachment, it turned out that Tupas has built a solid case.”

He also credited the Visayan solon for clearly establishing that the CJ misrepresented his assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth as gleaned from a pattern of undervaluation of   his declared properties.

Antonio G. Hombrebueno, ranking leader of the Philippine Masonry and prominent leader of the network of parishes of the Philippine Independent Church, noted that Tupas has also scored a victory when  SC manager Enriquita Vidal  released the SALNs of the CJ over a series of strident objections of the defense panel.

* * *

Confound the enemy by diverting his attention.

This is the standard military maneuver in engaging an adversary with  a superior strength.

The same tactic is employed in legal battles.

Consider the ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate.     

That’s why House Majority Floorleader Neptali Gonzales has the reason to say that the defense is starting to get hurt in the impeachment trial.

How so? The defense lawyers are taking turns to  deflect public attention away from the case of  Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Proof of  this is the various issues being hurled against the members of the prosecution, including suggestions to probe their properties.

Aside from this, a result of an online survey saying that many people now want Corona acquitted has gained attention.

But this only raised the eyebrows of those monitoring the trial who branded the scheme as a dud.

Malacanang, therefore, has to issue a statement saying that it was too early to judge the outcome of the trial.

Indeed, the trial is just starting. It is right to say that there is no basis yet to make a conclusion.

Huge efforts to pin down the prosecution backfired on  the defense lawyers when prosecutor Rep. Rodolfo Farinas raised the issue about their links to elite lawyers belonging to Corona’s law firm, who claimed to be representing the CJ on a pro-bono basis.

The prosecution does not believe this, and it is looking into the defense lawyers’ motive in serving Corona for free.

At any rate, even the plain, six-pack Joes are doubtful if the defense lawyers are serving Corona for free and hinted that there must be a huge deal behind it.

But all these issues would be clarified the moment the prosecution starts to find out if these defense lawyers have pending cases before the SC.