Integrity, Truth and Public Trust
CODE-NGO supports the statement of various concerned groups calling on the public to listen to various voices and opinions, reflect on three fundamental issues of Integrity, Truth and Public Trust and share their stands regarding the impeachment in the coming days and weeks, and for CJ Corona to take voluntary leave of office from his functions as the Chief Justice, until such time that the trial is completed and a decision is rendered by the impeachment court. We believe that his continued presence in, and influence upon the court which makes various decisions in relation to his own trial, will result in a process that cannot be deemed as fair nor credible.
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INTEGRITY, TRUTH AND PUBLIC TRUST
A Joint Statement Delivered by Various Concerned Groups at the Misa Para sa Katotohanan Co-Organized by Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, March 11, 2012, San Jose Seminary, Ateneo de Manila University
A day before the resumption of the impeachment trial against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, we gather as Filipinos to individually and collectively reflect on the fundamental issues brought before the Honorable Senator Judges of the impeachment court and the public. As religious leaders, professionals, students, business, civil society organizations, social movements and concerned citizens, we have given our collective backing to the impeachment process, recognizing impeachment as a legitimate means to exact accountability from, ensure transparency of our leaders in a democracy, and to provide Chief Justice Corona the opportunity to explain himself in the proper forum.
We thank the Senator Judges of the impeachment court for recognizing that they must conduct the trial akin to a legal process, while remaining sensitive to the real political dynamics that the trial entails. We laud decisions made in favor of surfacing the truth and seeking accountability. We have listened over the past weeks, endeavoring to go beyond the legal technicalities, in our effort to understand the fundamental issues brought before the impeachment court and the public, and we will continue to accompany this important juncture in the trial, to its conclusion, holding the sacred and universal truth that sovereignty resides in the people and that all government authority emanates from the people.
We come here today, united in our call to religious leaders, the Honorable Senator Judges, the Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court, and to our colleagues, families and friends to vigilantly maintain our collective focus on the following fundamental issues:
CHARACTER AND MORAL INTEGRITY
The articles of impeachment are very serious. They go straight to the heart of the matter—the moral fitness of Chief Justice Corona to serve as the highest judicial official of the country. We must ask if Chief Justice Corona has shown his conduct to be beyond reproach, as is expected of every Judge especially the Chief Justice of the land. We must reflect on whether the character and integrity of Chief Justice Corona represents our highest standards of integrity and moral uprightness as a nation. We must ask ourselves how we can return and reaffirm our collective faith in the dignity and integrity of the Judiciary, by the decision we will make as a people, represented by our Senators, in this crucial juncture of our history.
TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY
We believe it is only by truth-telling that the Chief Justice can prove that he is acting with public responsibility. Reforming the judiciary can only begin when the cloak of secrecy and deep suspicion that surrounds the institution is removed. More than ever, Chief Justice Corona must reveal the truth. Legal technicalities that of late have become the hallmark of the Corona defense panel must give way to the search for truth and justice. We ask no less.
We need to find the truth and seek accountability for the non-disclosure of properties in Chief Justice Corona’s SALN and ask the Supreme Court to allow the opening of his foreign currency deposits. As Chief Justice Corona lays his defense, we must carefully and vigilantly search for the truth and determine if he has acted with public responsibility – and seek accountability for any untruth unworthy of the position and responsibility we have given him as Chief Justice.
PUBLIC TRUST AND EMPOWERMENT
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is a public office and a public trust. Chief Justice Corona was impeached by duly elected representatives of the people. We must discern in the coming weeks, as individuals and as a nation if, as Chief Justice, Corona has valued and empowered this public trust or if he has used it to disempower the very institution and public he serves. We must seriously reflect and decide if Chief Justice Renato Corona still enjoys the trust and confidence of the public to decide with finality on cases that affect laws, property and lives of Filipinos and our nation.
WE CALL on everyone to listen to various voices and opinions, reflect on these three fundamental issues and share their stands regarding the impeachment in the coming days and weeks.
WE CALL on all religious leaders (Pastors, Imams, Religious Sisters and Brothers, Clergy and the Bishops) and people of moral authority (elders of communities, teachers and parents) to engage the members of your communities and families into respectful discourse on the issues at hand. Allow and encourage them to speak their mind, to ask questions, to share their sentiments, while also being respectful and listening to the views of others. In doing so, remind them of what is important for you and what is important for us as a people. Remind them of the meaning of justice, truth, respect, freedom, human dignity and integrity.
WE CALL on our Honorable Senator Judges to continue to conduct the impeachment trial in a fair and just manner, to seek the truth and address these fundamental issues, to do so in a manner that empowers Filipinos to understand and participate in this process and to bring the trial to its conclusion with the welfare of the Filipino people in mind.
WE CALL on our Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court to take on a more cooperative stance in engaging the impeachment trial court. We recognize and respect that the Supreme Court is a co-equal branch of the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines. We believe that being equal does not preclude, but should inspire a spirit of cooperation. This spirit of cooperation was promised by no less than the Chief Justice at the beginning of the impeachment process. We respectfully plead that the Supreme Court re-assess its stance on the matter of the confidentiality of the dollar accounts of the Chief Justice and on the restriction for any and all court personnel to participate in the trial as witnesses.
FINALLY, WE CALL on Chief Justice Renato Corona to take voluntary leave of office from his functions as the Chief Justice, until such time that the trial is completed and a decision is rendered by the impeachment court. We believe that his continued presence in, and influence upon the court which makes various decisions in relation to his own trial, will result in a process that cannot be deemed as fair nor credible.
WE PRAY that through our collective efforts, animated by our faith and trust in God, we can continue to build a nation empowered by truth, guided by integrity and served by a transparent and accountable government.
See also a copy of the statement at the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan website.
Signatories (as of March 22, 2012):
1. SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (SLB)
2. Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute
3. Sr. Josephine Bacaltos, RGS, Executive Director, Women Network Group (WOMYNET)
4. Norman V. Cabrera, Secretary-General, Ang Kapatiran Party
5. Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J., President, Ateneo de Davao University
6. Fr. Antonio F. Moreno, S.J., President, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
7. Atty. Adoracion Cruz Avisado, Chairperson, Transformative Justice Institute
8. Muslim Alliance for National Advancement (MANA)
9. Lawyers League for Liberty (LIBERTAS)
10. Atty. Arnold C. Abejaron, President, Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) – Davao City
11. Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO)
12. Akbayan Party
13. Akbayan Youth
14. Aksyon Kabataan
15. Alliance of Progressive Labor
16. BAMPER
17. Bicol University Student Council
18. Filipino Liberal Youth
19. KAAKBAY
20. Kabataang Liberal
21. Mamamayang Liberal
22. Palawan Youth Volunteers for Reform
23. People Power Volunteers for Reform Chapters:
* Cebu PPVR
* Marikina People Power Volunteers
* Pagbabago People Power Volunteers Cavite
* PNoyPinay Manila
* PPVR Angeles City
* PPVR Bataan
* PPVR Bicol
* PPVR Laguna
* PPVR Pasig
* PPVR Rizal
* PPVR San Juan
* PPVR Bataan
* PPVR Davao
* PPVR Navotas
* PPVR Negros Occidental
* PPVR Negros Oriental
* PPVR Zambales
* PPVR Palawan
* PPVR Caraga
* PPVR Region XI
* PPVR Region XII
* People Power Volunteer Center Zamboanga
* Pinoy Power Bicol Coalition, Inc.
* Sultan Kudarat Active People’s Network (SKAN)
* CPM-PPVR Zamboanga
* PPVR-CPM Bulacan
* PPVR Siquijor
* PPVR NCR
* PPVR Region VII
* PPVR Bohol
* Cebu Coalition of People Power Volunteers for Reform
* Maguindanao Network of Organizations (MAGNETO)
* CPM Region VIII
* PPVR Eastern Samar
24. Philippine Normal University Student Government (PNU-SG)
25. Pinoy Power sa Pagbabago
26. PNoyPinay
27. Polytechnic University of the Philippines – College of Communications Student Council (PUP COC-SC)
28. REPORMAR
29. Senior Citizens Movement for Social Transformation – Quezon City
30. Simulan Natin Gumawa (SINAG)
31. SOLIDAR
32. Sparks for Change
33. Tarlac State University Central Student Council
34. University of the Philippines College of Social Science and Philosophy Student Council (UP CSSPSC)
35. Young Public Servants (YPS)
36. Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK)
37. Change Politics Movement (CPM)
38. Coalition for Bicol Development (CBD)
39. Eastern Visayas Network of NGOs and POs (EVNET)
40. Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE)
41. People’s Coalition for ARMM Reform and Transformation (PEOPLE’s CART)
42. Spirit of EDSA Foundation
43. ALTERDEV Agusan del Norte
44. Propogemus Foundation Inc. Agusan del Norte
45. HEED Agusan del Sur
46. Gira Youth Organization, Naga City
47. Sr. Leonor dela Santa, FMM
48. Rosalina Tan, Economics Dept, Ateneo de Manila University
49. Inocencio B. Deza Jr., Calamba City
50. Cristina Montiel, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Ateneo de Manila University
51. Lydia N. Yu Jose, Deparment of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
52. Filipino members of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) Congregation in Rome
53. Mary Racelis, Ateneo de Manila University
54. Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) – Mindanao
55. Change Politics Movement – Davao Oriental
56. Change Politics Movement – Agusan Del Sur
57. Agusanon para sa bag-ong Pilipino (AGUS PINOY) – CARAGA
58. Benjamin T. Tolosa, Jr., Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
59. Puwersa para sa Ganap na Demokrasya, Labang Wagas para sa Inang Bayan (PUGADLAWIN) Project for Democratization, Ateneo School of Government
60. Hilda Kapauan Abola, Office of University Development and Alumni Relations, Ateneo de Manila University
61. Rodrigo JB. Pau, Vice President – Purchasing & Logistics, Metro Stonerich Corp.
62. Ma. Aurora B. Bulatao, Supervising Psychologist, ACESS, Ateneo de Manila University
63. Sr. Christine Maguyon, FMA
64. Gemino H. Abad, University Professor Emeritus, Department of English and Comparative Literature, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
65. Fr. Odine L. Areola, President, Veritas College of Irosin, Irosin, Sorsogon
66. CODE-NGO
67. Association of Foundations
68. Samar Island Biodiversity Foundation
69. Eastern Samar Social Development Organization
70. Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO), Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan
71.Manuel B. Dy, Jr., Philosophy Professor, Ateneo de Manila University
72. Jocelyn Wong
73. Jose L. Leonidas, Faculty Member, Miriam College
74. Gilbert Alarcon, Engineering and Architecture, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia