Secretary De Lima struggled to justify why she thinks CJ Corona favors GMA

How does one prove allegations that Chief Justice Renato Corona betrayed the public trust through his partiality to former President Gloria M Arroyo (GMA)? As what most rational people had for so long expected, it is indeed proving to be difficult. Even Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima failed to prove it in her testimony as the prosecution’s first witness for Article VII during the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice.

In Secretary De Lima’s efforts to prove that Chief Justice Corona granted favors to GMA, she inadvertently proved her own partiality towards the incumbent President, Noynoy Aquino (PNoy). It is no secret that it is PNoy’s great desire to get rid of Chief Justice Corona at all cost, and as a dutiful staff member it seems like Secretary De Lima had to do everything to please PNoy even to the point of defying the Supreme Court (SC).

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When asked by lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas if the executive branch has any authority to review decisions or orders made by the Supreme Court, De Lima repliedThere is no such power.” But the records show that as the head of the DOJ, she took it upon herself to defy the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the SC against the watch list order (WLO) on GMA, presumably upon the orders of PNoy. Therefore, she went beyond her capacity and authority in violating the decisions of majority of the justices.

Secretary De Lima’s testimony was very questionable. It had more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. Her statements were mostly based on hearsays and her personal opinions. Her testimony at some point was even funny because she relied heavily on the dissenting opinion of associate judge Maria Lourdes Sereno — meaning, she naturally gravitated to the opinion of someone who pretty much agreed with her views. And because she was not involved in the voting process, she could only speculate on why the majority voted to grant the TRO to its petitioners.

To those who were watching the trial, it was obvious that De Lima also found it hard to answer the question on whether she thought there was a conspiracy to allow GMA to leave the country. Her long pauses and long-winded responses said a lot about her attempts at justifying her defiance of the orders of the Supreme Court. It took a while but De Lima had to reluctantly admit that she thought that the seven other justices conspired with the Chief Justice in coming out with a decision to issue a TRO on the travel ban on GMA. “If the question is demanding a categorical answer on my part, there was conspiracy because they issued the questionable TRO (temporary restraining order).” She was indeed stuck between a rock and a hard place because if she denied that she thought the judges conspired to help GMA, then it would be inconsistent with what the articles of impeachment are implying.

De Lima had a tendency to hypothesize in her testimonies a lot. Having not been a Chief Justice herself, she appeared clueless as to the real functions of Chief Justice Corona. While she acknowledged that Chief Justice Corona’s vote is only one vote when it comes to decisions, she added that “there are other functions and duties and powers of the Chief Justice as primus inter pares (the first among equals)”. But then she wasn’t and couldn’t be specific about what those other functions and duties and powers were. Therefore, she was merely imagining what he could have done to make the other judges grant the TRO.

It was very uncomfortable to watch a woman of De Lima’s calibre reduced to defending her indefensible actions. The simple question asked by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on whether or not the Chief Justice acted alone in trying to enforce the TRO — to which De Lima replied, “The direct answer to that is no” — already reveals her untenable position. The fact that other justices are free to vote “yea” or “nay” is a testament to the freedom accorded them by the Supreme Court as an institution. And for De Lima to insinuate that the other justice’s decision can be easily swayed is an insult to the justices themselves as individuals and to the institution itself.

De Lima also alleges that Chief Justice Renato Corona wanted to let GMA “leave the country in November despite her facing charges of electoral sabotage.” Her statement was inconsistent with how things truly transpired. We recall that GMA and former first Gentleman Jose Miquel Arroyo’s first attempt to leave was on the 15th of November 2011 and at that time, there were no charges filed against her. It was on this basis that the Supreme Court issued the TRO citing that their decision was “”¦consistent with the constitutional provision on the presumption of innocence” because the Arroyos are not yet accused.

It was former Aquino ally and economist, Solita Collas-Monsod who was among the first to find this series of events rushed and “disturbing”:

On Oct. 21, 2011, according to De Lima, the fact-finding team was to have submitted their report, forwarding it to the joint preliminary investigation committee. I was unable to secure a copy of the fact-finding team’s report, but from the news reports, it seemed to me that everything was hearsay, until Oct. 11, when former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.’s chief aide, Norie Unas, revealed that he had overheard Arroyo ordering Ampatuan to deliver a 12-0 vote for the administration candidates in 2007. That was the only eyewitness account (and Ampatuan has just called Unas a liar and denied that the conversation took place).

On Nov. 14, or five days ago, the joint preliminary investigation committee completed its investigation.

On Nov. 16, per the Comelec chair, he received a copy of the report of the Comelec lawyers involved in the investigation, and its recommendations. Note: Only two days elapsed between the time of completion of the investigation and the recommendations.

On Nov. 17, the Comelec en banc voted to file charges against Arroyo, with two commissioners refusing to sign because they had not read the report. Does that sound rushed or not?

It is crystal clear that Secretary De Lima is getting her timeline mixed up. The charges against GMA were filed on the 17th of November 2011 after the issuance of a TRO on her travel ban. But in her inconsistent testimony, De Lima was making it look like the issuance of the TRO was quite suspect. Unfortunately for De Lima, the records show otherwise.

In relying too much on her gut feeling, Secretary De Lima shows even she can be partial to her own bias. At least the members of Supreme Court can vote based on their own so-called “biases” but have to accept the majority’s decision whether it is favourable to them or not. Meanwhile, De Lima acted as directed by her superior but will ultimately be answerable to the Supreme Court for defying their rulings on her own.

76 Replies to “Secretary De Lima struggled to justify why she thinks CJ Corona favors GMA”

  1. Why is it that all the lawyers under Aquino, from his cabinet to his prosecutors in the impeachment trial against CJ Corona, seem to be incapable of rational/logical thinking?

    1. I think it is because they have to align or lower themselves at a parallel with the head so as to justify its actions. hehe! If they had more free will in the matter, I would believe they would have acted and expressed themselves differently.

      1. i believe not all lawyers and cabinet members of Pnoy are all dumb and stupid. in fact many of them are smart and wise. all they have to do is just to follow orders of Pnoy and by doing it they are allowed or licensed to make errors and they were not subjected to accountability even the collateral damages were so big. in pleasing Pnoy they will be rewarded by unlimited pardon of wrong doings.

        1. Yes. I am not saying they are dumb, but rather they have to lower themselves or align themselves to the level of the head.

        2. yah your observation is true, even the are really smart and wise, hey have to submit themselves to the stupidity of the president.

          the problem is all of them are “yes men” and as saying goes; “if the two of them are “yes men” one of them is redundant.”

          thank you for rebutting me , 🙂 godbless

        3. Perhaps,Pnoy’s lawyers and cabinet members are smart before but unwise. Whoever, when they joins/aligned with Pnoy government they became dumb and stupid.

      2. i presume that PNOy’s prosecutors down to his cabinet members are all witty yet stupid enough to turn their victim to evil one like CJ Corona. although the evidences are there yet they don’t know how to prove it, so pathetic people!

    2. Secretary de Lima, like BIR’s Henares, is arrogant.
      She came into the spotlight when gloria Arroyo appointed her as Human rights commissioner. But Arroyo in 2005 affirmed the decision of DAR to distribute the Hacienda Luisita lands to the workers. And so she was already in the telescopic sight of the landlords, hacenderos and big agribusiness corporations way back then, aside from the Aquino-Danding Cojuangco clan. Angry, Cory Aquino the ignorant housewife who accidentally became president, demanded that she resign. Ironically, Cory had exempted their lands from agrarian reform. It was during her time when farmers were massacred at Mendiola and many militant leaders–from Olalia to Lean Alejandro were murdered by the military–anyway the lady president is popular. She did nothing about it. Lucio Tan of PAL, Nestle, Coca Cola and other giant corporations hiring agencies or contractors to hire workers to replace the regular ones are also angry with the supreme court’s decision in the PAL case wherein it declared as illegal the contractualization of regular jobs. ABS-CBN OF Lopezes is angry too because they have dismissed hundreds of workers due to contraqctualization. it is clear that the clique of the elite, hacenderos, agri-businessmen and multinational corporations are pressuring the Supreme court to reverse by impeaching Corona. Leftist leaders like Casino, Colmenares, and the yellowish Hontiveros, are now siding with the elite, the oligarchs, the landlords and multinational corporations. By the way, they and the other congressmen and sinators, did they declare in the SALNs their SOPs or share in the pork barrel funded contracts? He he. Lets amend the constitution. Democratize ownership of the mass media which is controlled by the elite and which controls public opinion. There should also be a mandatory attendance for COMELEC sponsored debates for those running for the presidency and legislative positions so that the stupid and incompetents will not run anymore. Pork barrel should also be abolished. Legislators should legislate, not look for corrupted projects. Amend the constitution.

      1. Lets amend the constitution. Democratize ownership of the mass media which is controlled by the elite and which controls public opinion. There should also be a mandatory attendance for COMELEC sponsored debates for those running for the presidency and legislative positions so that the stupid and incompetents will not run anymore. Pork barrel should also be abolished. Legislators should legislate, not look for corrupted projects. Amend the constitution.

        I don’t have a problem with your suggestion. Sounds good to me. Unfortunately, only a leader who can put the interest of the people before him and his friends will agree with us.

  2. If she is accusing CJ Corona of impartiality, and admitting that CJ have not had any decisions done alone, then that’s the biggest hole in her testimony.

    And if i remember correctly, she defied the TRO because she allegedly received a text messages that Arroyo will go to certain places. This proves the that DeLima is incapable of her position believing in mere hearsays and opinions.

  3. delima – opinion, heresay, largely irrelevant.

    the prosecution is likely to drop some of the articles – they are desperate that the trial finishes by march 23, before senate break.

    they will be left with next to nothing – at best , errors in SALN.

    corona will be acquitted so panic is setting in at malacanan and am sure more games to come

    1. and more money to waste to divert the attention of the people to the real issue of gov’t administration….

      more pun in Philippines

      1. @Ilda, at this point, with all the stupidity of the prosecutors exposed, if the senators vote for impeachment they will either look like unthinking dimwits or kowtowing to the tantrum-prone president of this blighted land. Would they want that? I’m hoping not. I think those already popular senators do not need Aquino to be re-elected so they would drop him like a hot camote or risk looking like idiots and panderers.
        And thank you for writing this one about De Lima. Remember I requested you before this impeachment proceedings even started to do a piece about her?

  4. The Department of Justice, Republic of the Philippines (DOJ): http://www.doj.gov.ph/?page=3
    Secretary (June 2010 -): Atty. Leila Magistrado De Lima (appointed by and alter ego of the President)

    DOJ VISION AND PLEDGE

    Vision: A just … society anchored on the principles of … fairness and truth.
    Mandate: To uphold the rule of law.

    Pledge: … to faithfully safeguard constitutional rights and to ensure that no one is deprived of due process of law.

    We shall work with honor and integrity for the institution, for God and country.

    –GMA and Corona: We beg to differ!

    NOTE: The DOJ “Pledge” should have included a line upholding the State Policy proclaimed in Sec. 11, Art. II:

    “The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.”

    1. Saw her nodding and smiling in agreement while PNoy made that speech at La Consolacion College. Looks like she is really beholden to her boss.

      1. I bet the contents of my SALN she will run for congress or the senate! That’s all she cares about, maximum exposure. I also think that for a DOJ sec’s testimony to be ruled hearsay is utter embarrassment. But of course, this inept president doesn’t even realize this woman’s incompetence. I wish she will just resign and look for a job as a highschool speech comm teacher.

  5. Not a very impressive is she? But then again I was not expecting her to be one and her testimonies just revealed her flaws outright.

    Members of the Yellow Cabal like this makes one wonder if the King in Yellow really wants CJ to be acquitted considering that they are not trying very to win this impeachment, even they can’t BE this stupid…..or are they?

    1. My impression is that they actually are. If you met some of them, and see the quality of their work in things that are not related to this, you would be struck by how amateurish it is. There are a few bright spots – Secretary Romulo, for example, comes across as an experienced professional – but for the most part the people in this Administration, besides having a bad attitude and selfish priorities, are operating way over their design ceilings.

      1. Pnoy’s incompetence must be infectious. One after the other the members of the Yellow cabal are degrading in quality. As expected the prosecution’s new move was disappointing to sat the least.

    2. It is so ironic that it was GMA who appointed her as the chairperson for the commission on human rights. What the heck was she thinking? They obviously panicked after someone tipped them that GMA was planning to go abroad.

  6. Pinag gugulan nila talaga ng tyempo at pinay kaka isahan itong impeachment trial.. wala na ba talaga magawa ang ating pangulo na halatang halata na PAGHIHIGANTI lng ang intetion… hindi nag iisip sa pakanan ng marami.. ni hindi nga naka pasa ng bill sa senado… mabuti nlng hindi ako nag kamali na hindi xa binoto. daan na tuwid ba sabi ni PNOY? cge anu ang maitutuwid mu pag katapos ng impeachment trial? maitutuwid mu ba ang buhay ng marami nating kababayan na nag hihirap at nag hihirap? matalino ka nga pero hindi mu namn gna gamit xa tamng paraan.. emosyon mu ang iyong pina iiral… how can you manage a country when you have mental issues of your own…now i’m not pro corona either but it is obvious na hindi malakas ang inyong mga ibedenxa liban sa kanya at with your incompetent lawyers!!??? your just wasting your time when there is so much to be done where a lot of people can benifit.. puro pakitang tao lamang ang iiyong interes.. nakisakay kna nga sa pangalan ng iyong magulang at ito lng ang iyong gna gawa? tuwid na daan baka mo? saan yan pa punta? baka sa ika bubuti lamang ng iyong sarili..what can we gain from all these? would it feed the hungry? provided medical attention for the sick? help victims of tragedies? gain economical stability? lower prices of necessity? increase wages of workers? help out abused OFW? wala tala dyan all this would do is satisfy your thirst for revenge gain publicity and control for yourself xempre, wala ehh wala talaga.. bagay ka sa showbiz wag kna lng maging politiko.. tatakbo ka pa sa next term wag na.. talo ka lng nyan..

    1. He found a good excuse not to work. He’ll just say that there are still people in the government who chose to go on the wrong path.

  7. First:

    De Lima even proudly trumpeted yesterday in the Senate that she defied the TRO for 2 reasons. 1) Copy of it was not yet served to them; and 2) They believed there was no compliance to the attached conditions yet. It must be remembered however that one day after the TRO was issued, a copy of it was officially delivered to the DOJ office and all the conditions were fulfilled by the Arroyos. But still, she categorically stated in a press conference then that the Arroyo couple would still be barred from leaving pending their appeal to the Supreme Court. So, which is which?

    Falsum in unum, falsum in omnibus.

    Second:

    De Lima sounded like a student defending her thesis in front of a panel. What she did was not a narration or testimony on personal knowledge about the issue but her analyses or opinion. Anybody who reads the dailies can make the same testimony.

    Some people are really than happy to reduce themselves into a*s li*k*rs of some psychologically unfit president in order to achieve their ambitions.

  8. I am really confused now. If Chief Justice Coronas voting with the majority proves bias for towards the Arroyos, then obviously that also proves that Carpio and Sereno are biased towards Aquino, as is pretty clear from their recent opinions.

    So when does bias become an impeachable offense and when is it not?

    Does this mean that any Senator who will vote to acquit Chief Justice Corona can then be impeached for being biased?

    Why not just hang anyone who does not agree with PNoy. I am sure that would make people agree with whatever he would want.

    1. If we follow their logic, it seems like it. Senator Cayetano did ask a good question: how do you differentiate between someone influencing or simply advocating? The fact that the judges are free to vote “yes” or “no” means CJ does not control them.

      1. The prosecutions tried to explain that the justices who voted for the TRO might have done so because they believed it was the right thing to do and within the law but Corona was doing it because he was biased.

        Weird logic.

  9. what Pnoy fails to see is the that we are living in a democratic society where everyone is entitled to his opinion…kaya nga may botohan, majority wins…
    kaso para kay baliw na pangulo natin, ang hindi sumang ayon sa gusto nya ay BIAS sa kalaban nya…

  10. at this stage the money is on aquittal ( remember only 8 are needed)
    final vote 14 – 9 – guilty – ( but not on all articles) – article 2 the closest vote.

    then it will be even more fun in the philippines and when hacienda luisita decision becomes final and executory the political tide will turn against aquino as these desperados start to realign and think about their future paydays.

    aquino is walking a political tightrope and noone will try to catch him when he falls. even the US are not so bothered about him especially with his stance on china,armm and the commies. the US dont like commie lovers

  11. de lima is in a dilemma, how can she testify on something which she has no personal knowledge of the basic facts, she was not even there when the SC deliberated and voted for the TRO, her only basis was her readings of the dissenting opinion by justices serreno and carpio, in which case she admitted that she didn’t have any personal knowledge of what she claims as irregularities in the SC or for CJ showing partiality, even her basis of using the dissenting opinion is bias, she did not even bother to value the concurring opinion of other justices, it must be remembered that the SC voted 8-5 infavor of the TRO as a collegial body, de lima is a complete stranger and thus failed to prove prosecution charges under Article VII, her testimony was only based on her own opinion, what a shame…

      1. it was as if she mean that the dissenting opinion is correct and the concurring or majority opinion of sc is wrong, i thot in a democracy majority rules… now they want to change it in their favor? tsk tsk

      2. see what happens to people, who are presumed to be sane & logical, when they have the wrong motivation. they are reduced to the lowest of terms like chicken dung!

        personal vengeance & political persecution are wrong foundations of a government’s anti-corruption campaign. much so if it is just done to silence a political enemy and forward its own personal agenda.

        from the looks of it, the Prosecution team and the Malacañang are self-destructing itself at the very midst of its constituency. and i fear & dread when the Cory fever loses its magic and the legacy of Ninoy will be put to oblivion because of the doings of their son president.

  12. I suppose Secretary De Lima was for a time torn between her sense of gratitude and the prospects of higher office. Remember that she owes GMA and if we are to trust some rumors, she was in fact one of GMAs favorites and was even allegedly a recipient of Gloria’s special favors. So she tarried long and bid her time perhaps silently hoping GMA will simply take the backdoor or another office instead, the Ombudsman or Comelec, will take first action and file a case, basta sana yung first initiative hindi sa kanya galing. Or, was she hoping that PNoy will eventually allow GMA to go on exile as a political settlement to the stand off? Problem was it was taking too long that even Escudero and Lacson began taking loud notice. Hey, Secretary, when are you filing a case, it is almost two years. For that she reasoned out they were taking things slowly because she wanted to be sure any case filed by her would stick. So far so good. But weeks came to pass wala pa din. Then came GMAs request to leave. Panic must have quickly set in for De Lima. Wala sa reckoning niya ito. And she must have anticipated that PNoy would go ballistic on her and fire her on the spot if GMA was able to leave. If that happens, everything goes up in smoke as far as her ambitions are concerned. So there. I think kumbaga yung WLO was her desperate attempt to hang on to her dreams. Even as she knew she was standing on very thin ground, kahit ano na huwag lang makalabas si GMA, bahala na si Batman.

    1. I sensed that she panicked because their investigation in Oct was leading nowhere and the deadline for filing the case on electoral sabotage was about to lapse in a few months. What’s worse is that they are going to rely on the “hearsay” testimony of Norie Unas, a suspect in one of the most horrific crimes in the history of the Philippines. You can tell that her priority is screwed up. What kind of a human rights activist is she anyway?

  13. Leila de Lima is a pathetic example of what is happening to the government today. Her personal loyalty to Mr. Aquino has blinded her. She and many others like her, have forgotten their oath of office. There is nothing in the Constitution that says absolute loyalty or support should be extended to the chief executive. He is nothing but a political personality. When Mr. Aquino shows dictatorial tendencies he becomes a tyrant. When he protects his cronies and insulates them from accountability he becomes a hypocrite to his straight(and wide)path of his so-called reform program. When he shows ruthless and vicious obsessive focus on his perceived enemies while he neglects his duties, functions and responsibilities his state of mind and emotions speaks for itself. De lima’s continued obedience to his illegal orders makes us wonder. Is her state of mind and emotions like that of her master’s? Loyalty is extended to tried and tested principles, the Constitution, Flag, Country and People. Never to men or women who have discarded the same.

    1. She shamelessly admitted that she defied the TRO and for what reason? Because she thought GMA was a flight risk. But she wasn’t accused of anything then and she has been in and out of the country several times. The charges that was filed against her is weak with the “hearsay” testimony of a suspect in the Ampatuan massacre.

    2. Selling one’s principles has great of it’s own. When one looks at the various groups aligning themselves to the King in Yellow’s cause it can be quite.

      Sooner or later it will blow up in their faces, when that happens I will be taking great satisfaction in it.

  14. the prosecution claimed victory over the pronouncement of Enrile that the evidence required is not proof beyond reasonable doubt. do they really think their evidence would pass the quantum required.?

    1. The thing is even if it’s not a criminal trial, if they successfully convict Corona, they can proceed to filing a criminal case against him. How are they going to justify accepting “hearsay” then? They can’t. So they should not accept hearsay on this political trial as well. Santiago was very clear on the rules. I can’t believe that Enrile referred to someone’s book as a basis for saying that anyway. He should not have insisted on that.

    2. I have a different pioneering view. I say proof beyond reasonable doubt should apply. Why? The life, liberty and properties of CJ Corona is at stake here. His reputation and character could be utterly ruined. His entire family is subjected to state machinery vilification through black propaganda and trial by publicity. Should he be convicted, he will be open to the filing of criminal cases. In the final analysis, he stands to lose everything.

  15. Many of you might disagree with me, but today I thought Secretary De Lima was able to ‘connect the dots’ on SC CJ Corona’s influence, as administrative head and ‘primus inter pares’ of the Supreme Court, beyond the one-of-many, or collegial decision-making on the TRO.

    Thanks in many ways to the written dissenting views of Justices Sereno and Carpio, but to a large extent to the cool, calculating, and measured shepherding of public prosecutor Representaitve Daza.

    Did you notice how presiding Senator-judge Juan Ponce Enrile and lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas was kind of deferential, courteous to Rep Daza?

    And because of this lead prosecutor Knight Sir Neil Tupas Jr. kept inserting himself to the camera view.

    Sali ako diyan, para makabawi! 🙂

    1. I agree that after her first day of testimony, it looks like she went home and looked up the job description of CJ Corona coz the next day, she managed to elaborate more on his role. But unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough to establish if he strong-armed the other judges. It still doesn’t change the fact that the other magistrates could vote “yea” or “nay” on any petition. As long as there was no bribery involved, CJ Corona cannot be responsible for how the others voted. They justify their decisions anyway whether it was dissenting or concurring. What Cuevas pointed out was that De Lima did not even bother to consider the concurring opinions. She just stuck with the dissenting opinions.

      Bring back Tupas!!! Rep Daza is so boring. 😉

  16. Another ignoramus of the law is testifying…De Lima contradicted herself in her testimony…
    I do not believe anything of what she said…
    A woman who is a high government official, and has an on going affair with her Driver, must be believed?

  17. laylo research
    opinion poll published today

    86% will accept senates decision
    only 25% paying close attention to trial
    50% think only 1 ex 8 articles credible ( bias to arroyo in cases)
    32% think corona targetted because of hacienda luisita
    only 17% definitely want corona impeached

    admin media blitz failed
    senate do not have to worry about public opinion
    trillanes has to think for himself
    p-noy hacienda link well established in peoples minds

    all going pear shaped for p-noy

  18. The Aquino state sponsored EDSA anniversary will push through tomorrow. This will obviously not be a voluntary, spontaneous gathering as seen in the original one and only historic event.I expect the very loyal Leila de Lima to attend. This will show how politicized she is in favor of the yellow ribbon and not to our very own red, white and blue. I predict that the usual political, demonizing statements against the perceived enemies of the dictator will be made in this venue. Expect the yellows, ordered government officials and employees and a mercenary crowd to be there. Add the reds, anarchists and the rightists and you have a volatile mix. There is a big difference in the real people power of 1986 and the present people mob power organized with state funding. The anti-Aquino pro-democracy and freedom forces might be there with the pro-dictator mob. We just hope that the dictator does not launch his Plan B tomorrow. He cannot afford a staged power play against his own government. His plan to occupy the Supreme Court by force will be a fatal mistake. Political suicide is not an option Mr. Aquino. You are really a dangerous man.

  19. “plus ça change,
    plus c’est la même chose “— “the more things change, the more
    they stay the same,”
    alphonse karr

    if corona is biased, then what on earth is sereno. pot, kettle, black.
    she is a real snake in the grass. the triumvarate of her, carpio and delima would be the death knell for the country

  20. There was an interesting event that happened during her second day at the stand. She more of less echoed the sentiments of Carpio regarding judicial privilege – that is should not be abused in terms of accountability. Yet she used executive privilege when asked by a senator-judge. Why the double standard? If they want judicial privilege to be broken, then it should be applied to the executive and legislative as well.

  21. so far only 11 votes for conviction
    money, pressure, bribes and even blackmail being used to get the final 5, but not so easy. maybe we have at least some senators with principles, and who can see the bigger picture.
    re-electionists must be careful. a conviction vote by them and any subsequent change of hacienda luisita decision will backfire on them in the 2013 polls

  22. Nagmumukhang tanga tuloy siya doon sa witness stand ng e-cross examine siya ni ex-CJ Cuevas, tapos may pasabon pa si Sen. Meriam… kakahiya doj sec. tapos ang testimony niya ay hearsay lang… ano ba yan… nahawaan pala sa kaoboban ng amo niyang talsik laway…

  23. If PNoy thinks that hearsay qualifies as acceptable evidence, we’re screwed even worse. That is exactly the type of thing a paranoid delusional dictator/dictator-wannabe would think. Oh wait, PNoy fits that bill.

  24. We have a problem. President Abnoy was a lazy and dull student of Ateneo, and looks moronic. Oh my God. What have the nuns and priests done to this country!

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