Sen. Franklin M. Drilon issued this statement on Monday, Nov. 28, as he reiterated his call for Corona to inhibit himself from cases involving former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He said Corona's "judicial record" is "untarnished by a negative vote against the ex-president," who is now under hospital arrest over election sabotage charges.
Drilon cited the following cases:
1) Corona concurred in the Dec. 7, 2010 SC ruling declaring as unconstitutional President Aquino's order creating the Truth Commission. The commission was tasked to, among others. investigate past abuses under the Arroyo administration.
2) Corona concurred in the Oct. 10 2010 SC decision stopping the Aquino administration from revoking the appointment of alleged midnight appointees made by former President Arroyo. Corona himself was branded as a "midnight appointee," since he was named Chief Justice by Mrs. Arroyo on May 17, 2010, after the presidential elections that Aquino won.
3) Corona concurred in the April 7 2010 SC ruling denying the petition of then Sen. Benigno Aquino III and upholding Republic Act 9716 creating the First and Second Districts of Camarines Sur, which eventually benefited an Arroyo son, now Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo.
4) Corona concurred in the SC decision reversing its previous decision ordering the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the trial of former Rep. Benjamin "Kokoy" Romualdez, whose son, Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, is a known ally of Arroyo.
5) Corona concurred in the Feb. 11, 2009 SC decision upholding the validity of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States and ordering the transfer of US serviceman and rape convict Daniel Smith to a Philippine detention facility.
6) Corona dissented in the SC October 14, 2008 SC decision declaring the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) entered into by then President Arroyo's peace negotiators with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as "contrary to law and the Constitution."
7) Corona concurred with the July 16, 2008 SC decision declaring that communications in the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement signed by then President Arroyo and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on September 9, 2006 were covered by executive privilege and not subject to public disclosure.
8) Corona concurred with the March 25, 2009 SC decision stating that then Social Security System Chairman Romulo Neri was not liable for contempt for not appearing in the Senate hearings of the NBN-ZTE scandal because his testimony was covered by executive privilege.
9) Corona dissented in the February 15, 2008 SC decision declaring that the wiretapped conversation between then presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Commission on then Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano was not prohibited from broadcast.
10) Corona dissented in the May 3, 2006 SC decision declaring then President Arroyo's Presidential Proclamation 1017, which placed the country under a state of national emergency in March 2006, as "partly constitutional, partly unconstitutional."
11) Corona dissented in the October 25, 2006 SC decision dismissing the petition of the pro-Arroyo Sigaw ng Bayan to allow a people's initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution due to their failure to comply with a constitutional requirement of conducting a people's initiative.
12) Corona concurred in the Aug. 15, 2006 SC decision declaring as valid then President Arroyo's gag order that prohibited executive and military officials from appearing before congressional investigations without the President's consent. The case was filed by then Marines Brig. General (now retired) Francisco Gudani.
13) Corona concurred in the April 20, 2006 SC decision upholding the controversial gag order known as Executive Order 464, which allowed Malacanang and other executive officials to invoke executive privilege in refusing to testify in congressional investigations.
14) Corona concurred with the April 19, 2006 SC cases declaring as valid then President Arroyo's Executive Order 420 establishing a national identification card policy.
15) Corona concurred in the December 13, 2005 SC decision declaring that then President Arroyo can make appointments "in an acting capacity" without seeking confirmation from the Commission on Appointments.
16) Corona concurred in the October 18, 2005 SC decision declaring as constitutional Republic Act 9337, also known as the VAT Reform Act.
17) Corona dissented in the March 2, 2004 SC ruling dismissing petitions to disqualify then presidential aspirant Fernando Poe Jr. on grounds that he was not a natural born citizen.
18) Corona concurred with the Feb. 3, 2004 SC decision declaring that President Arroyo did not exceed her powers in issuing Proclamation number 427, 435 and General Order No. 4 declaring a state of rebellion during the so-called Oakwood Mutiny.
19) Corona dissented in the January 13, 2004 SC decision voiding the contract entered into by the Commission on Elections with the Mega-Pacific firm for not undergoing the required public bidding.
"All his decisions are all for Gloria. His own record shows that he favors Arroyo. Even if Chief Justice Corona's votes in the 19 cases are based on merit, what is important here is how people perceive him," Drilon said in a statement.
He noted that Corona's voluntary inhibition would "go a long way in maintaining the credibility of the Supreme Court especially in cases involving Arroyo."
Presided over by Corona, the SC en banc today resumes oral arguments on the petitions of the Arroyo camp for the High Tribunal to nullify the justice department-Commission on Elections probe on alleged vote-rigging in the 2007 senatorial race. The panel's findings were made as basis for the filing of an electoral sabotage case against former President Arroyo and three others. - Move.PH
