Impeachment Chronicles Part 1: The Lull before the Storm

So the Impeachment Court takes more than a month long break before it resumes hearing evidences.  After more than two months of often interesting  and colorful proceedings, here's what I think have been proven so far:

1. The Impeachment Complaint transmitted by the House to the Senate was vaguely worded, poorly constructed, inadequately prepared for.

2.  The House rushed the approval of the Impeachment complaint, perhaps foregoing due process and proper deliberations -- resulting in number 1.

3.  The President, PNoy undoubtedly is an engaged bystander, ready to push any body that gets in the way and twist any uncooperative arm if only to ensure CJ Corona's conviction.

4.  Because the Prosecution Team led by Representative Niel Tupas appears lightweight and, like their impeachment complaint, poorly constituted and ill-prepared, it often incurs the ire -- rightly or wrongly, deserved or not -- of just about everyone in the court and even outside of it.

5. The Prosecution Team works, on the side, as Senator Santiago's favorite outlet for venting out her pent up personal and professional rage (she will be a much calmer personality after this), and preferred stooges to humiliate in order for the whole world to see how brilliant she is (she will emerge more full of herself after this).

6. Age does matter, and it really brews the best kind of wisdom.  Just look at Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and lead defense counsel Justice Serafin Cuevas.

7. Experience in government does not necessarily equate to qualification for the job as Senator Judge.  Just look (don't ask) at Senators Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla, both in "public service" for a long time.

8.  When the Prosecution presented its evidences, it was clear that they did not have much.  The defense and many senator judges complained that they were simply out on a fishing expedition -- anchoring their hopes on discoveries that they will encounter as they plod along.

9.  But despite of Numbers 1 and 7, there are evidences (many of which are products of the random fishing tactics of the prosecution), circumstances and arising issues that put the Chief Justice on a corner, surrounded by senator judges, and watched by millions of Filipinos, all waiting for a valid and believable explanation.

10.  There is a battle being waged outside of the impeachment court in the bar of public opinion.  If the results of the Pulse Asia  surveys are to be believed, CJ Corona and his defense team are on the losing end with almost half of the respondents believing that Corona is guilty and only a few thinking otherwise; while 6 in 10 Filipinos have no trust or confidence in the accused.  Ouch.

11.  The prosecution and defense will use the break to be both on the offensive and the defensive.  More issues will be raised, some of them related to the trial itself, others irrelevant but would still put a personality in either a good or bad light, depending on who is beaming the spotlight to whom.

12.  Expect black propaganda to circulate.  So much for the spirit of Lent.


Impeachment Chronicles: Part II