MANILA, Philippines - The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, on Tuesday handed a guilty verdict against Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Twenty of 23 senator-judges voted to unseat Corona.
Corona goes down in history as the first public official in the Philippines to be forced out of office by an impeachment court.
Senators Edgardo Angara, Alan Peter Cayateno, Pia Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, Francis Edcudero , Jinggoy Estrada, TG Guingona, Gringo Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Sergio Osmeña, Francis Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel III, Ralph Recto and Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Vicente Sotto III, Antonio Trillanes IV, Manny Villar and Juan Ponce Enrile voted that Corona is "guilty" of the offense.
Senators Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. voted to acquit Corona in Article 2.
Corona faced only three of the eight articles of impeachment filed by the House of Representatives.
Article 2 alleged Corona betrayed public trust and/or committed culpable violation of the Constitution for his failure to disclose some of his alleged properties and bank accounts in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) from 2003 to 2010.
Article 3, on the other hand, alleged that Corona's failed to act with competence, integrity and independence in discharging his duties as the country’s top magistrate. Article 7 accused Corona of favoring ex-President Arroyo, who appointed him to the top judicial post.
source: philstar.com
