InterAksyon.com
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Mr. President… I stand here today at a historic moment when we render judgment not to an ordinary citizen, but to the highest official of our co-equal branch in government, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
As the late President Theodore Roosevelt said, "A nation must be judged in part by the character of its public men, not merely by their abilities, but their ideals and the measure in which they realize these ideals; by their attitude in real life and much more by their attitude in public life, both as regards their conception of their duties toward their country and their conception of their duty, embodied in its government towards its own people."
I have heard all the arguments, considered all pieces of evidence of the prosecution and the defense, and heard directly from the Honorable Chief Justice, himself.
As much as the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines expects and demands, and is worthy of all the respect and considerations due to his office and to his person, he in return has the responsibility to be the epitome of a public servant with the highest ethical standards.
Bilang pinakamataas na mahistrado ng bansang ito, ang kanyang panunungkulan ay dapat walang bahid kahit katiting, dahil sa mandato ng kanyang katungkulan at kahalagahan ng kanyang posisyon.
In the end, I arrived with a conclusion that, through his own direct admission, the Chief Justice failed to properly disclose all of his assets in his SALN.
This therefore has necessary consequences that attach to the position he holds in trust. I prayed hard for Divine Providence and guidance in this one great decision of my life.
Napakahirap man, alang-alang sa pagkakaisa at paghilom ng ating bayan; alang-alang sa pagpapatibay ng mga institusyon ng ating pamahalaan; alang-alang sa mga darating pang henerasyon at ng ating kinabukasan; I find Chief Justice Renato C. Corona guilty.
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