Senators won’t be swayed by surveys

Senators said yesterday the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey, which showed that almost half of the population thinks Chief Justice Renato Corona is guilty of the charges against him, would not affect their judgment.

“If we are to use surveys to convict or not to convict a person charged in our courts, then we do not need the courts. All we have to do is conduct surveys whenever somebody is charged,” said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

“I will decide on it according to the evidence and nothing more,” Enrile said.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said senatorjudges should only consider the evidence presented to them.

“The public or anyone who is not under oath may say different things. It is easy to talk or

invent things if one is not under oath,” he said.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan said the culpability of Corona would not be determined by surveys or by public opinion.

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. dismissed insinuations that he would vote to acquit Corona to spite Aquino, saying he had long buried the hatchet.

“That is far from my mind. When I conceded (to Aquino in the 2010 polls), I already accepted everything,” Villar said in an interview with ANC yesterday.

Villar admitted that he was hurt at that time but “I knew how to immediately bounce back,” adding that the impeachment issue is not about Aquino.

He assured the public that he would decide based on the testimonies of witness and the evidence presented before the impeachment court.

However, he commended the defense for building their case in favor of Corona.

“While it is early for senatorjudges to decide, it looks like (the defense) can sew the pieces of evidence together, it would be interesting (to observe),” he said.

Villar said the prosecution should be able to prove Corona’s “intent” to supposedly hide his assets and not disclose it in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Not a popularity contest

The defense panel for its part said the impeachment trial should not be a popularity contest.

Defense lawyer Jose Roy III said the senator-judges have vowed impartial justice in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws and not what the Filipinos believe.

“I would be very cautious in citing surveys as the basis for the outcome. You know, from our point of view this is a matter of law and evidence,” he added.

Roy claimed that the tide is in favor of Corona and is confident that they could establish his innocence.

Tranquil Salvador III, spokesman of the defense panel, said the survey was conducted before they presented their witnesses.

“We are glad to know that 43 percent (of the respondents) are open and ready to listen. That’s significant to us,” Salvador added.

‘Survey a vindication of the prosecution’

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, a prosecution spokesman, said the results of the recent Pulse Asia survey were a vindication for the prosecutors.

“The 47 percent believing in his guilt would tend to belie the belief of some that the prosecution has not made a case,” Angara said.

“The fact that many believe in CJ Corona’s guilt is not surprising, given that the prosecution has already presented its evidence, while the defense has yet to complete its presentation,” he said.

Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III said the survey showed that the people believe in the evidence presented by the prosecution.

“While there have been many criticisms against the prosecution, this (survey) shows that the prosecution did its job in presenting evidence that the impeachment judges should consider when the time comes,” he said.

“This shows that the evidence that we’ve presented is substantial to sway the minds of the people that the Chief Justice is guilty,” he said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the Pulse Asia survey results “reflect the general sentiments of the public.”

“We have driven home the message that the Chief Justice is guilty as charged and he is not fit to continue as head of the Supreme Court and the judiciary,” he said.

“I think that is a very clear writing on the wall as far as the Chief Justice is concerned and I think he should listen to this. He should look at the survey at least to tell him what he should do in the face of the negative opinions against him,” prosecution spokesperson Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo added.

Quimbo, however, noted that the impeachment trial is not about surveys.

SC downplays survey results

The Supreme Court (SC) downplayed the survey, which it described as “premature.”

“It’s premature because the impeachment case is still pending. We don’t know the basis of the respondents in saying that he’s guilty or innocent. The defense isn’t through yet,” SC spokesman Midas Marquez told reporters in an interview.

He said the public had a one-sided view of the case because they had not heard the defense of the Chief Justice when they were interviewed by Pulse Asia.

Marquez also noted that only 15 percent of the respondents said they were certain of the Chief Justice’s guilt. But he said the survey firm lumped those who said they think the Chief Justice is “probably guilty” among those who said he is guilty.

“We don’t know exactly why they made distinction between absolutely guilty and probably guilty. That 33 percent is questionable,” he said.

The SC official said he could only hope there was no hidden motive in the release of the survey.

“I hope it is not taken and released to influence the senator-judges in deciding one way or the other,” he said.

No comment – Palace

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte refused to comment on the results of the survey.

“As per the President’s affirmation of the no-comment policy, we would not like to make any comment,” Valte said in a briefing.

“It has been the policy of the Aquino government, which the Chief Executive himself affirmed, not to make any statement with regard to the trial, and let the House prosecutors do their job,” she added.

Valte said she would also not speculate on whether the survey would affect the outcome of the impeachment trial, lest they be accused of trying to influence the senator-judges.