Corona won't appeal guilty verdict with Supreme Court

MANILA (2nd Update, 4:59 p.m.) -- Ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona will no longer ask his former colleagues at the Supreme Court to reverse the decision of the Senate that removed him for underdeclaration of assets while in public office.

"It is already a closed chapter. No more filing of appeal," Quicho told Sun.Star.

It was a "personal decision" on the part of the former magistrate, according to fellow defense counsel Tranquil Salvador III, saying their client has already accepted the adverse verdict.

Corona is still confined at The Medical City in Pasig City for hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, a condition triggered by his three-hour opening statement to the impeachment court on May 22.

The ex-justice, who was convicted by 20 senators last Tuesday, will be discharged this weekend.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile earlier said that they will defy the SC if it will question the jurisdiction of the impeachment tribunal.

"If they want a constitutional crisis in the country, they will have one," the presiding officer of the impeachment court warned.

House prosecutors, for their part, are thankful for the decision of the ousted High Court leader.

Aurora Representative Sonny Angara, one of the spokespersons for the prosecution team, said that an appeal before the High Tribunal would have “engendered some uncertainty for what is and should be a certain and unappealable result”.

Angara said it is now time for the government to focus on the economy.

“Fighting corruption only gets you so far by providing a good foundation for growth; but we still have to build the proverbial structure: jobs, infrastructure, and opportunities. The trial was just a prologue but this should be the real business of government,” he said.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, meanwhile, thinks that the special en banc session called Wednesday by acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio persuaded Corona to respect the verdict of the impeachment court.

"The fact that the SC, through a special en banc, met yesterday (Wednesday) and issued orders that practically demonstrated that he had already lost control of the SC and could no longer rely on his perceived allies I'm sure contributed to his decision," he said in a text message.

Aside from perpetual ban from government service, Corona may see himself facing lawsuits in relation to alleged ill-gotten wealth.

A multi-million peso forfeiture case is still pending before the Office of the Ombudsman, which earlier disclosed Corona's bank transactional balances amounting to at least $10 million.

Asked if they will defend Corona against future civil and criminal cases, Quicho said the matter is still "premature". (Virgil Lopez/Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)