Impeachment Trial, Chief Justice Renato Corona is Guilty

I stayed home today to attend to some pressing personal matters and it was just plain luck (or more like an unexpected blessing) that the impeachment trial would wrap up at the same time. I tried to convince my children to watch the proceedings, highlighting that the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona was "history in the making," but my son reasoned that it was really more like "current events."

Well, the speeches are over and a decision has been rendered on Trial Day 44 of the impeachment trial. To record for future reference, here are the votes of the individual members of the Senate:

Those who rendered a verdict of guilty on the basis of Article 2:

1. Angara
2. Cayetano, Allan Peter
3. Cayetano, Pia
4. Drilon
5. Escudero
6. Estrada/Ejercito, Jinggoy
7. Guingona
8. Honasan
9. Lacson
10. Lapid
11. Legarda
12. Osmena
13. Pangilinan
14. Pimentel
15. Recto
16. Revilla
17. Sotto
18. Trillanes
19. Villar
20. Enrile

Senator-judges who rendered a decision to acquit on the basis of Article 2:

1. Arroyo, Joker
2. Defensor-Santiago
3. Marcos, Bongbong

Given the above, Chief Justice Renato C. Corona was found guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

The long-running telenovela which started December 12, 2011 is over. Whether you like Senate President Enrile or not, you have to hand it to 88-year old Manong Johnny for the way he presided over the impeachment court and the impeachment proceedings. He may go down in Philippine history for a lot of things, some not too flattering, but he did take this opportunity to be remembered positively at this late stage in his political career. Lito Lapid had no prepared long speech but I thought that his remarks were more interesting to listen to than some of his Senate colleagues.

Where to from here? To a better Philippines and to more transparent individuals in public service? I hope so. The whole Philippines hopes so.