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Central Board Room 200 MVP Student Leadership Center, Ateneo de Manila University

A Call for Truth and Integrity Last December 12, 2011, the House of Representatives approved the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, citing eight articles of impeachment, of which five were dropped. The remaining articles of impeachment are Article II (regarding Chief Justice Coronas failure to disclose his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth), Article III (regarding Chief Justice Coronas failure to meet and observe stringent standards under Article VIII, Section 7 (3) of the constitution), and Article VII (regarding Chief Justice Coronas alleged partiality in granting a Temporary Restraining Order in favor of former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband). The articles of impeachment are grave and must be addressed in such a way that would leave no doubt about the innocence or guilt of the Chief Justice. Thus, we call on the Chief Justice to fulfill his role in letting truth and justice prevail in the country by testifying in court and releasing his bank accounts. We believe that his sincerity in keeping the faith of the Filipino people and his insistence on innocence could be proven only by full cooperation with the proceedings. In order to protect the impartiality required of any court and to keep the sanctity of the judicial system, we also call on the Chief Justice to take a voluntary leave of absence until the senator-judges have made a decision. We believe that the justice being espoused by his Supreme Court might be compromised by the developments in the proceedings against him, thus debasing the validity of all judicial rulings thereafter, especially those of the Supreme Court. We call on the sentaor-judges to be objective and to consider all sides of the issue, including protecting the welfare of the Filipino people. We implore them to be more patient in the quest for truth and justice, and we would like to respectfully remind them that their decision on this case can greatly affect all Filipinos views on public officials and governance. Finally, we call on all Ateneans to be one with the quest for truth and justice by educating themselves about the impeachment trial and following the trial as it resumes on the 7th of May, 2012. We, as Ateneans, must show genuine concern regarding this issue, especially since the person being questioned is the highest official of the judiciary, one who is supposed to ensure that truth and justice are upheld in our country. We must reflect on whether Chief Justice Corona still embodies the integrity required from every public official. We encourage each Atenean to weigh the arguments of both camps carefully, and come with his or her own stand in the end. We reiterate that this matter affects not only the Chief Justice nor the senator-judges but all Filipinos, especially since at the heart of this issue lies the question of good governance.

We are your sole autonomous student government. We voice out your concerns. We protect your welfare. We form the community. We are entrusted to lead and committed to serve. We are your SANGGUNIAN.
A member of BUKLOD ATENISTA, the alliance of student governments of Jesuit tertiary education institutions in the Philippines

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