No more impeachment, please – SC employee

MANILA, Philippines – Now that Chief Justice Renato Corona has been convicted, the head of the Supreme Court employees’ association (SCEA) expressed the hope that no other SC magistrate would be impeached in the future.

Jojo Guerrero, head of SCEA, said they accept the verdict of the impeachment court, which found Corona guilty of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution on Tuesday, May 29, for failing to declare US$2.4 million and P80 million in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth.  He added, however, that they wanted him to be the last justice to be impeached. 

Guerrero said they are still wary that other SC magistrates might be targeted for impeachment following previous pronouncements from several lawmakers that “2-3” magistrates could also face impeachment. SC justice Mariano del Castillo is the subject of another impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives.

‘High crime’

Guerrero said what he found most worrisome in the verdict handed down by the impeachment court is that Corona’s conviction showed that errors in SALN now constitute “high crime.” He said employees could lose their jobs because of the standard set by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. 

The High Court, however, has long considerd the failure to truthfully declare all assets in the SALN as punishable by dismissal from service. In Rabe v Flores, the Court had Delsa Flores fired as a court interpreter in a Davao regional trial court for failing to declare in her SALN that she had a stall in a market.

“That respondent had a stall in the market was undoubtedly a business interest which should have been reported in her Sworn Statement of Assets and Liabilities.  Her failure to do so exposes her to administrative sanction,” the SC said.

The High Court cited Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which states that government employees and public officials have the “obligation” to file a SALN and that failure to do so renders “removal or dismissal” from public office.

The SC issued the ruling in this case more than a decade ago, in 1997. Several senators cited this case in explaining their respective votes for the conviction of Corona.

Saddened but will move on

SC employees – some of them clad in red – watched the impeachment trial at the SC lobby. They clapped and cheered when Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago, Joker Arroyo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr voted for Corona’s acquittal.

They slowly started to leave, however, after votes on Corona’s conviction reached 12.  

Guerrero said they accept the verdict handed down by the impeachment court, but said the senators should follow Corona’s lead and sign waivers allowing public scrutiny of their bank accounts. Corona signed the waiver on May 25. – Rappler.com