It has become obvious that President Benigno S. Aquino III is hell bent on removing Renato Corona as chief justice of the Supreme Court. He has thrown caution and statesmanship to the wind, and continues to aggressively push for Corona’s impeachment.
With a few more days before the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice in the Senate, both Aquino and his spokesmen have been adamant in telling the people that Corona will be removed, apparently at all cost. Although conceding that they are not certain of having the number in the Senate to remove Corona through impeachment, a Palace spokesman said Malacanang has a Plan B to remove Corona if the impeachment fails.
In fact, the spokesmen said that Aquino is now making a list of possible replacements for Corona, making it very clear to the senators who will sit in judgment of Corona that the President wants Corona out. His spokesmen have also called Corona a “lameduck chief justice” in an effort to make him resign.
Aquino and his spokesmen obviously want Corona to resign before the impeachment trial just like Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez did. But Corona, a Batangueno, is bent on fighting back and has made it clear that he will not resign and will defend himself before the Senate.
With his aggressive actions, Aquino has put his presidency on the line. His obvious obsession to remove Corona from the helm of the Supreme Court and the judiciary has wittingly or unwittingly made Corona’s impeachment the sole basis on how he will proceed in the remaining four-and-a-half years of his presidency. In short, Corona’s impeachment can make or unmake Aquino’s presidency.
If he succeeds in ousting Corona through impeachment, it could boost his confidence as a leader and encourage him to pursue his reform program with even more vigor. On the other hand, it could also embolden him to take even more reckless actions to implement what he perceives to be in pursuit of his reform agenda, ignoring the rule of law in the process.
This early, Aquino has already insinuated that he would not hesitate to impeach other justices if they continue their bias against his administration in their decisions. Aquino, the son of democratic icon former President Cory Aquino, has virtually abrogated upon himself the duty of the Supreme Court to decide on the legality and constitutionality of legal issues raised before the tribunal. He continues to bully the justices into toeing his line.
If he fails – and this is not a remote possibility considering the independence that the Senate has shown in the past – it will severely weaken his presidency. He will be perceived as a “lameduck” president, one who cannot impose his will on either the Senate or the judiciary. Some members of the House will no longer have to cower in fear of reprisal from a weak president and he will lose his hold on members of the House, who earlier did not hesitate to sign the impeachment documents even if they had not read them. Taken aback by defeat, to which he is not accustomed, Aquino could sulk and retreat to inaction, afraid to receive another devastating setback.
On the other hand, Aquino could remain steadfast and arrogant. He could ignore the Senate’s decision and find extra-legal means to oust Corona. This would plunge the country into a deep constitutional crisis, a breakdown of the rule of law, and worse, a tyranny.
Aquino is obviously being consumed by his obsession to oust Corona. In the meantime, the nation’s economic growth is forecast to slow down further to as low as 3% this year, way below the target of 6%, the Philippine population is expected to rise to an alarming 97.6 million by the end of this year, thousands of Filipinos in Northern Mindanao are left homeless by the floods, and the promised transparency has yet to be fulfilled. The government continues to under-spend, the Reproductive Health Bill has not even been declared a priority bill, the rehabilitation of flooded areas in Mindanao awaits attention, and the proposed Freedom of Information Act has yet to be calendared in the House.
The sooner this drama between Aquino and Corona ends, the better for the nation.
The Supreme Court has been asked to decide on four petitions to declare the impeachment complaint unconstitutional, and the difficult task to make this declaration has been assigned to Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, an appointee of former President Joseph Estrada who was bypassed by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo when she appointed Corona as chief justice.
Corona, on the other hand, has asked the Senate to dismiss the impeachment complaint outright for being unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court can end the drama right then and there by declaring the impeachment complaint unconstitutional. Or the Senate can give credence to Corona’s petition and dismiss the impeachment case without having to go to trial. But will Aquino abide by their decision?
Either way, the future of Aquino’s presidency — and more importantly, that of the nation – now rests on Justice Carpio and the other justices in his panel, and the 23 senators who will sit in judgment of Corona.
The nation waits with bated breath.
MANNY INVINCIBLE IN RING, INVISIBLE IN PHILANTROPHY
JGL Eye
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA
(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)
“And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed
much, of him they will demand the more.”
— Luke 12:48
CHICAGO (jGLi) – Every time Manny Pacquiao starts and ends with his fight in the ring, he has been seen praying in his corner. And it seems, his prayers are always credited for his winning streak.
But if the eight-division world boxing champion really wants to be true to his faith, Manny should also follow what the Bible says, “And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.”
There were two big opportunities for Manny to show his philanthropic deeds to those closest to home and to his heart but he missed to show up at both times.
In November 2009, 32 journalists, mostly promoting, writing and singing his praises whenever he went home to a hero’s welcome, were massacred but I have never heard Manny order his MP Foundation donate to the survivors of the fallen journalists. Most of those massacred journalists used to be his town mates in Gen. Santos City.
During the flash floods last week that killed thousands of his region mates in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities, the Sarangani Representative disclosed the release of his share of his pork barrel of one million pesos (US$23-Million) from the Philippine Congress for the flash flood victims. And he was reported to have shelled out additional money from his own pocket to the victims but he did not disclose the amount of his donation. Why the secrecy? What happened to transparency?
AND HE WANTS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT?
If he wants to become President of the Philippines in 2022, he should now start leading the way. Otherwise, it will be a bit too late.
The public are entitled to know how much Manny gives back to the people, who pay for their tickets to watch his fights on TV and movies, listen to his song recordings and support the products that he pitches. He knew how it felt when he performed poorly against Juan Manuel Marquez – nobody wanted to meet him at NAIA. Nobody wanted to watch him in his motorcade. He even questioned the ethnic loyalty of his former friend and defender, Ronnie Nathanielsz, for criticizing Manny for his off night although Manny admitted that cramp (pulikat) in his leg was the culprit. And from his own mouth, Manny said, “This fight (with Marquez) will answer all doubts, all questions once and for all.” But doubts and questions lingered long after his fight with Marquez. Although the world loves only the winner, fans will still embrace you if you accept that you are just human to have bad night and accept humility.
Adding insult to injury was the news release of his purchase of a 25-million-peso (US$581,395) Italian-made yacht while thousands of his kababayans (country mates) were drowning and thousands more were suffering due to damages caused by tropical storm Sendong. Talk of Nero playing the violin while Rome was burning?
Manny was listed this year by Forbes magazine (July 9, 2011) as the 24th highest paid of the 50 athletes in the world with earnings of US$25-million.
This year, Forbes (June 22, 2011) announced that Bill Gates, the richest man in America, has a net worth of US$56-billion and Mr. Gates donated $28-billion to malaria, public health and education or 60% of his wealth.
The world’s richest man, Carlos Slim of Mexico, was listed by Forbes to have a net worth of US$74-billion and donated to education and health care US$4-billion or .05% of his wealth.
And the man Mr. Gates talked into opening his wallet to charity, Warren Buffet, who has a net worth of US$50-billion had given away to Gates Foundation, US$8.3-billion or 16% of his entire wealth.
AGNOSTIC EVEN GIVES TO CHARITY
Mr. Gates is an agnostic, who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism. Mr. Buffet is a protestant, Presbyterian. While Mr. Slim is a Maronite Catholic, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Room (in other words, Maronites are part of the Catholic Church).
So, it is very clear whether someone believes in God or not, it will still be good turn to set example to give back to the community. Isn’t the saying, the more you give, the more you receive akin to the saying, “you reap what you sow” or the karmaic principle?
So, if Manny gave away at least .01% of his US25-million net worth to charity, like the massacre of journalists or survivors of flash flood victims, it is only US$250,000 or 10.7-million pesos. Chicken feed, as Filipinos are wont to say. After all, he cannot even take his riches to his grave!
But why would Manny limit his charitable donation to a miserly .01% or less when Bill Gates could even give away 60% of his wealth or Mr. Buffet, 16%, or Mr. Slim, .05% when he could do more than that because he is a Catholic?
According to Forbes, a private foundation of wealthy people can afford them “maximum control and tax planning benefit, not to mention image-burnishing. But the foundation only has to spend 5% of its assets on charity work each year. That means, the largess can be doled out way in the future, perhaps, when a fading celebrity needs a publicity lift.”
Forbes advises if a “foundation gets its funds primarily from the celebrity (so there are no fundraising costs) and runs no programs, simply making grants of money to other charities, overhead costs can be negligible.”
CHRISTIANS ARE URGED TO OBSERVE TITHING (10% CHARITABLE DONATION)
Interestingly, when TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey had net worth of US$1.4-billion in 2006, she donated US$58.3-million to her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, Oprah’s Angel Network and other groups or 41% of her wealth.
While Tiger Woods in 2006, donated $9,500,000 to the Tiger Woods Learning Center, Earl D. Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund, and other Tiger Woods Foundation programs when his net worth was US$90-million or 10% of his wealth.
If Manny really wants to be a follower of God’s word, like when he prays publicly to draw his strength from God, he should be mindful of the practices among Christians as written in the Bible of making donation to charity in the amount of 10%, which is called tithing.
He should not forget what the Acts 5:1-20 says as it contains the account of a man and wife (Ananias and Sapphira) who sold a piece of property and donated only part of the selling price to the church but claimed to have given the whole amount and immediately fell down and died when confronted by the apostle Peter over their dishonesty.