Ang nasabing 17-kilometer underground river sa Palawan ay pasok sa New 7 Wonders of Nature at pormal na inianunsyo ngayong hapon sa Heritage Hotel sa Pasay City.

Dumalo sa pagtitipon si Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn at personal na tinanggap ang inagurasyon mula kay Bernard Weber ng New7Wonders Foundation.

Sinabi ni Mayor Hagedorn sa kanyang talumpati na labis ang kanyang pasasalamat sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at bomoto sa Puerto Princesa underground river.

Ipinagmamalaki ni Hagedorn na mula sa dalawa, naging 11 na ngayon ang biyahe ng eroplano sa kanilang lugar kada araw.

Sinabi naman ni Dir. Luella Jurilla ng Department of Tourism (DoT) region 4, dahil sa nasabing tagumpay ng lungsod, gagawaran ng DoT at DENR ang Puerto Princesa local government sa Lunes at patikular na paparangalan si Mayor Hagedorn.

Ayon kay Dir. Jurilla, hindi matatawaran ang sakripisyo ng lungsod para mai-promote ang PPUR na ipinagmamalaki ng bansa sa buong mundo.

Samantala, hindi umano natatapos ang kanilang efforts sa pagkapanalo ng Palawan underground river.

Katunayan, nagpupursige umano sila para lalo pang mapadali ang pagbiyahe ng mga turista papuntang Palawan.

Ilan umano sa pinagkakaabalahan ng DoT ang pagsasaayos ng booking system papuntang Palawan kung saan hangad nilang gawin itong centralized.

Balak din umano nilang dagdagan ang mga public rest rooms papuntang Puerto Pricesa at mga information kiosk para mapadali ang pamamasyal.

Kabilang sa mga gumamit ng wikang Filipino sa Day 5 ng impeachment trial ay sina presiding officer at Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator-Judges Mirriam Defensor Santiago, Kiko Pangilinan, Tito Sotto, Alan Peter Cayetano, Manny Villar, lead prosecutor Neil Tupas Jr., at defense lead counsel retired Justice Serafin Cuevas.

Ang mas lalong natuwa ay si Senator-Judge Lito Lapid dahil matagal na niyang isinusulong na gawin ang mga pagdinig sa Filipino.

Kahit na raw siya ay palagi na lamang nasa Senado ay nahihirapan din dahil maraming mga English term na mahirap intindihin.

Iba naman ang pananaw ni Sotto, dahil ang paggamit ng Filipino ay baka lalong magpabagal sa pagdinig.

Ani Sotto, hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay dapat Tagalugin sa dahilang maraming  rules of court na hindi maaaring i-translate.

Ayon kay Santiago, pabor siya rito para mas maintindihan ng mas nakakaraming nakikinig.

Inihalimbawa pa nito ang pagtatanong sa isang testigo bago sumalang sa witness stand kung saan papunta at layunin ang kanyang pagharap.

Sa ginanap na caucus ilang oras bago ang pagpapatuloy sa impeachment trial, walang matibay na patakaran kung ano ang napagkasunduan sa isyu ng paggamit ng Filipino.

Pero kapansin pansin na nanguna na mismo si Enrile na maraming beses na nagsalita sa pambansang wika.

Kung maaalala noong nakaraang lingo, meron na rin ilang senador ang gumamit ng Filipino pero hindi pa gaano.

Tulad na lamang nina Senator-Judge Jinggoy Estrada, Chiz Escudero at Frank Drilon.

Una rito, noon pang linggo ay maraming mga text message na natanggap ang mga himpilan ng Bombo Radyo na nananawagan na gamitin din sana ang wikang Filipino sa impeachment proceedings para mas lalong maintindihan.

Nakisama rin sa humikayat ang ilang obispo ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) na gamitin ang sariling wika.

Inihayag ni Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros, chairman ng CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Bioethics, at Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes na mas maiintindihan ng masa kung  Filipino ang gamit sa pagtalakay sa impeachment court.

Umapela rin sila sa lahat ng media entities na tulungang ipaunawa sa mga mamamayan ang nangyayaring paglilitis sa punong mahistrado.

Nabanggit na rin sa Bombo Radyo ng isa sa House prosecutors na si Rep. Neri Colmenares, na kapag siya na ang nakasalang lalo na sa Article 1 at Article 7 ay pipilitin niyang gumamit ng sariling wika sa kabuuan ng proceedings.

Pero aminado ang mambabatas na pahirapan din dahil maging siya ay ‘di sana’y mag-Tagalog bunsod sa pagiging Bisaya niya (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental).

Inihalimbawa ni Colmenares ang paggamit ng salitang “impeach” na mahirap na gawing Tagalog.

“You know its better to addres the proceedings to the very people who are supposed to place their trust in their cheif justice, who’s trust has been betrayed… kaya mas maganda ang Tagalog or mag-Filipino all throughout the procedings,” ani Colmenares.

Nabanggit naman ng iba pang miyembro ng prosekusyon na sina Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara at CIBAC Partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna, na magsasalita na rin ng Tagalog ang prosekusyon upang mas lubos na maintindihan ng publiko ang mga nangyayari sa impeachment court.

Partikular na rito sina House prosecutor at Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga at lead defense counsel na si retired Justice Serafin Cuevas.

Nagsimula ang bangayan ng dalawa sa pamamaraan ng pagtatanong ni Barzaga sa witness na si Atty. Randy Rutaquio ng Pateros-Taguig Register of Deeds .

Agad itong kinuwestiyon ni Cuevas dahil mali sa tingin nito ang ginagawa ni Barzaga, ngunit ayon sa Cavite solon, ito raw ang itinuro sa kaniya ni Cuevas na kaniyang titser sa kanilang remedial law class.

Dagdag naman ng retiradong mahistrado, malamang absent umano si Barzaga noong itinuro at ipinaliwanag niya ito sa klase.

Si Rep. Barzaga ay nagtapos ng Bachelor of Laws Degree sa Far Eastern University bilang Magna Cum Laude.

Para naman kay Atty. Jose Roy III, dating dean at presidente ng Pamanatasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, isa sa abogado ni Corona, bida ngayong araw ang mga octogenarian, o mga players sa impeachment na may edad na.

Ang tinutukoy ng abogado ay sina lead defense counsel Cuevas na 83-anyos na, presiding officer at Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile na edad 87-anyos na at Rep. Elpidio Barzaga na 61-anyos.

Aniya, ang mga nakababata umano ay mistulang nasa sideline lamang at nile-lecturan at nakikinig.

Ang defense panel ay bumilib din umano kay Enrile dahil sa ginawa nito ang kaniyang homework sa isyu ng prosesong pagpapatitulo ng lupa na computerized na.

Isa pang pangyayari ay pinagsabihan din ni Enrile si Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano dahil sa maling diskarte nito ng pagtatanong sa defense lawyer at prosecution lawyer.

Sinabi ng opisyal sa Bombo Radyo Butuan, ang waterspout ay may kakayahang humigop ng mga particles mula sa karagatan at posibleng nahigop ng pwersa nito ang mga isda.

Nang wala ng iba pang mahigop na mga particles at nang mabigatan na sa water vapor ay ibinuga ng waterspout ang mga isda kung saan kasama sa mga nahigop na tubig ay nagkataong sa ilang bahay ito naibuga.

Dagdag pa ni Binalay, nangyari na rin ang ganitong scenario noon sa Lake Mainit, Agusan del Norte, ilang taon na ang nakalipas.

Una rito sa kuwento ni C/Insp. Wilson Corpuz, hepe ng pulisya sa bayan ng Loreto, inulan ng maliliit na isda kahapon ng alas-8:00 ng umaga ang tahanan ni Ong.

Naganap daw aniya ito sa kasagsagan ng malakas na ulan na ikinagulat naman ng mga opisyal at kapitbahay.

Karamihan sa naturang mga isda ay halos kasing-laki ng sigarilyo.

Hindi pa naman matukoy ang ibang uri ng isda kaya inilagay ang mga ito sa aquarium upang magamit sa gagawing pagsusuri.

Dagdag pa ni Corpuz, malayo naman sa karagatan at ilog ang bahay ng nasabing barangay kagawad kaya labis ang kanilang ipinagtataka sa naganap na pangyayari.

Makailang beses naantala ang pag-uusap ng gobyerno at peace panel ng NDF sa Norway dahil sa pinagtatalunang Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantee (JAISG) list.

Magugunitang 13 NDF consultants ang iginigiit nina NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni bago umusad ang peace talks, pero tinatanggihan ng gobyerno dahil hindi mabuksan ang pinagtaguang diskette sa Utrecht.

“With no verification, there can be no JASIG protection. But the JASIG remains operative for the persons whose real names are listed as JASIG-protected,” ani Padilla.

Sa ngayon, umaasa ang gobyerno na matuloy ang pagtalakay sa mga substantive issues at magkaroon ng pag-uusap ng walang kaakibat na kondisyon.

Maliban sa NDF, humarap din sa matinding pagsubok sa MILF peace talks ngayong taon dahil sa isyu kay MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato.

Lalo pang uminit ang problema nang magkaroon ng engkuwentro sa Al-Barka, Basilan nitong nakalipas na buwan ng Oktubre kung saan umaabot sa 19 na sundalo ang napatay nang pumasok ang puwersa sa sinasabing teritoryo ng MILF forces.

Marami ang nanawagan sa Pangulong Noynoy Aquino na magdeklara ng ‘all-out war’ pero ibinasura ito ng Pangulong Aquino.

Matapos makausap ang mga heneral, idineklara ng Pangulo ang ‘all-out justice’ kung saan hahabulin ang mga responsableng rebelde sa Basilan at Zamboanga del Norte.

“We will not pursue all-out war; we will instead pursue all-out justice. All-out war is indiscriminate and borne out of anger. All-out justice is sober and fair; it is based on the rule of law, and leads to lasting peace,” ani Pangulong Aquino.

Muling itinakda ang formal peace talks sa MILF sa darating na Enero, 2012 sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at inaasahang magkakaroon na umano ng final peace agreement bago matapos ang taon.

“The 23rd Round of Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ended today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with both Parties reaffirming their commitment to move the peace process forward. The Parties continued their discussions on the substantive points for purposes of crafting a framework agreement. Both Parties agreed to renew for another year the mandate of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) which will expire in March 2012 and adopted the Terms of Reference (TOR) of its Humanitarian Rehabilitation and Development Component (HRDC). The Parties agreed to meet again in January 2012 for the continuation of discussions on the substantive issues,” bahagi ng MILF-GRP joint statement pagkatapos ng formal exploratory talks sa Malaysia noong Disyembre 7, 2011.

Wala pa namang schedule ng peace talks sa NDF maliban sa deklarasyon ng holiday ceasefire ng magkabilang panig ngayong Kapaskuhan na inaasahang magbibigay daan sa panibagong negosasyon.

Kabilang umano sa mga maituturing nilang achievements ng mababang kapulungan ng Kongreso ay ang maagang pagkakapasa ng 2012 budget at malakas na buhos ng suporta sa impeachment case ni Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Aniya, Oktubre pa lang ay pinal nang pinagtibay ng Kamara sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang panukalang P1.816 trilyong pambansang budget para sa susunod na taon.

Sa ginanap na botohan ay 198 na kongresista ang pumabor sa House Bill 5023 o General Appropriations Bill, 26 ang tumutol habang tanging si Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco lamang ang nag-abstain.

Lumalabas man na hindi nasunod ng buo ang nais ng Malacañang sa paglalaan ng pondo dahil maraming inamyendahan sa budget, pasok pa rin umano ito sa mga programa ng Aquino administration.

Sa usapin naman ng impeachment ni Corona, aminado si Belmonte na normal lang na may mga kokontra o mag-iingay laban sa anumang hakbangin Kamara.

Pero ang mahalaga umano ay dumaan ito sa tamang paraan at nakakuha ng sapat na bilang ng tagasuporta para ganap na maisulong sa mas mataas na antas ng impeachment proceedings.

Matatandaang 188 ang pumirma sa resolusyong nagsusulong sa impeachment ng punong mahistrado sa kabila ng halos dalawang oras lamang itong natalakay sa majority caucus ng mga mambabatas.

“…The mere fact na 188 people signed, andun. I mean kung may one or two people who are dissatisfied, that’s democracy. Hindi mo naman pwedeng sabihing definitely there were several people who did not sign,” wika ni Belmonte.

Iginiit din nitong hindi nakuha ang nasabing bilang dahil lamang sa pangakong Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) sa mga lalagda sa resolusyon.

“Nobody ever talked about PDAF, nobody talked about that kaya nga sinasabi ko lang maski this person is complaining about his PDAF, ‘yan kumuha kayo ng kopya ng mga dokumento to show that he actually got his PDAF,” pahayag pa ng House speaker.

Sa kabuuan, matatawag umanong makabuluhan ang taong 2011 para sa 15th Congress dahil sa aktibong paglahok ng mga datihan at maging ang mga baguhang mambabatas.

“…Without a question, may mga ups and downs itong pagiging speaker at the Congress is out as well as every member here, but it’s part of our job eh. We have to tackle it the best way we can,” pahabol na pahayag pa ni Belmonte.

Magugunitang Abril 29 ngayong taon, bumigay ang unang casualty sa kampanya ng Pangulo laban sa nakaraang administrasyon, si dating Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Bagama’t sinubukang lumabas, nagdesisyon si Gutierrez na magbitiw na lamang bago pa man magsimula ang impeachment trial na pinasimulan ng mga kaalyado ng Pangulong Aquino sa Kamara.

Si Gutierrez ay inaasakuhang “protector” ni dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dahil inuupuan umano nito ang mga kasong nakasampa laban sa dating presidente.

Noong July 25, 2011 sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA), inianunsyo ng Pangulo ang bagong Ombudsman sa katauhan ni retired Supreme Court association justice Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Sa SONA mismo ng Pangulo, makikita na hindi pa natatapos ang laban at mahigpit na binalaan ang magtatangkang haharang sa isinusulong na reporma.

“And to those who may resist the change we are trying to bring about, this I say to you: I know what I must do, and my personal interests are nothing when compared to the interests of the nation. There are many of us who want what is right for this country; and there are more of us than you. To those of you who would turn back the tide of reform: you will not succeed,” ang bahagi ng SONA ng Pangulong Aquino na nagsilbing babala sa mga haharang- harang sa kanyang ‘tuwid na daan.’”

Pagsapit ng Nobyembre 18, sinampahan ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) ng kasong electoral sabotage si Arroyo at makalipas ang ilang oras, naglabas ng warrant of arrest ang Pasay City regional trial court (RTC).

Bago naman mailabas ang warrant of arrest, tinangka pa ng dating Pangulo na makalabas ng bansa, bagay na hinarang ng Department of Justice (DoJ).

Ginamit ni Justice Sec. Leila de Lima ang memorandum order ng nakaraang administrasyon para hindi makalabas ng bansa si Arroyo habang inaabangan ang kasong isasampa ng
Comelec.

Naghain ng petisyon ang dating Pangulo bagay na kinatigan ng Korte Suprema sa pamamagitan ng inilabas ng temporary restraining order (TRO) laban sa watch list order (WLO).

Dito na umano napuno ang Pangulong Noynoy Aquino kaya’t ipinag-utos na sa mga kaalyadong kongresista na isulong ang impeachment complaint laban kay Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Hapon ng Disyembre 12, agad nakakuha ng sapat ng numero ang Kamara kaya’t kinabukasan, Disyembre 13, naihain na ang Articles of Impeachment laban kay Corona na pirmado
ng 188 kongresista.

Sa kanyang pasasalamat sa mga sumuporta, inihayag ng Pangulong Aquino na balakid si Corona sa kanyang mga programa tungo sa pagbabago dahil interes umano ni Arroyo ang kanyang pinoprotektahan at hindi kapakanan ng taumbayan.

“Hanggang kailan tayo magtitiis, hanggang kailan tayo uunawa, hanggang kailan tayo magpapasensya? Sobra-sobra na ang ebidensya; aasa pa ba tayong magbabago si Ginoong Corona? Naging kumbinsido po tayo na pagdating kay Ginang Arroyo, walang tama o maling kinikilala si Ginoong Corona. Walang patutunguhan ang ating pagsisikap kung bago pa man tayo dumulog sa husgado ay kargado na pala ang timbangan. Malinaw po ang katotohanan: Si Ginoong Corona ay itinalaga sa Korte Suprema, hindi bilang alagad ng katarungan, kundi bilang alagad ni Ginang Arroyo,” ani Pangulong Aquino sa kanyang pasasalamat sa 188 kongresista na tumalima sa kanyang “marching order.”

Matapos si Corona, nababahala ngayon ang iba pang mahistrado na maaring isunod ding patalsikin ng administrasyon.

Sa pagpasok ng 2012, aabangan ang kahihinatnan ng laban sa pagitan ng Hudikatura at Ehekutibo, hangga’t hindi nakukuha ng Pangulo ang ninanais nitong desisyon mula sa Kataas-taasang Hukuman.

Sa harap ito ng batikos ng ilang analysts na ‘underspending’ ang Aquino administration kaya mabagal ang pag-usad ng ekonomiya ng bansa.

Sa isang panayam, sinabi ng Pangulo na umaabot sa P42 billion ang kabuuang naipon batay sa September data.

Ayon sa Pangulo, P6 billion dito ay galing sa public works, P7.7 billion sa agriculture habang ang natitirang figure ay galing sa ibang sektor.

“Yung achievements, for instance, sa savings in the national budget. We’re looking at as of end of September, medyo ‘yun ang isang gusto kong—looking forward—ang unang gusto kong mangyari: better reporting, faster. But the figures that are available to us, end of September, we saved something like 42-billion pesos—of that, six billion from public works. Agriculture. Besides the achievement of an increased in rice production, ano, substantial—I think it’s about 15 percent for the first three quarters eh—we saved something like P7.7-billion sa…’yung less importation of rice,” ani Pangulong Aquino.

Maliban dito, ibinida rin ng Pangulo ang pinakahuling upgrade ng Standard & Poors’ (S&P) sa credit rating ng Pilipinas.

Mula umano sa dating positive, naging stable na ngayon kaya ilang bahagdan na lamang bago makamit ang investment grade.

“Yung na-upgrade tayo several times—pinakabago Standard & Poors has granted us parang what is it? A stable outlook, ano, parang na-upgrade. We’re inching closer and closer to investment grade pero it has impacted already on how much we have to pay for the loans we do have. We’ve been able to replace ‘yung mas mataas na interest rate with cheaper interest rates, may acceptance on the global peso bond, okay,” dagdag ng Pangulo.

Idinagdag din ng Pangulo ang achievements sa labor sector kung saan nakalikha umano ang administrasyon ng 2.1 million na bagong mga trabaho.

“Now, what… ‘Yung— So looking back I can… Labor is also another thing. First promise ko is job generation and the labor force survey as of October—I’m comparing October 2010 to October 2011—may net new jobs of roughly about 2.1 million. So from 36 I think it’s 38 tapos may butal— sorry, hindi ko na na-memorize ‘yung after the decimal point. But, again, it tells us that, one, we’re on track in fulfilling that promise of job generation and we expect more and more of it,” pagmamalaki ng Pangulo.

Ito’y matapos isang walong taong gulang na batang lalaki ang naisalba ng kanilang alagang aso sa kasagsagan ng malawakang pagbaha sa lungsod ng Cagayan de Oro.

Ayon sa salaysay ng isa sa mga residente sa Bombo Radyo, hindi na nila inaasahang buhay pa ang kanilang apo na si Junjun sapagkat ang dami ng mga narekober na bangkay sa Isla de Oro, Brgy. 13 kung saan sila nakatira.

Subalit makalipas ang ilang araw na paghahanap, biglang sumulpot si Junjun kasama ang asong si Tisay sa kanilang lugar dahilan upang mapaiyak at mapayakap ng husto ang ama nito.

Isinalaysay umano ng biktima na noong tinamaan ng baha ang kanilang bahay, agad niyang nakita si Tisay kaya doon siya kumapit hanggang sa tinangay sila ng baha.

Makalipas umano ang ilang oras na palutang-palutang sa dagat, maswerteng may nakita silang isang pulis at dinala sa dalampasigan.

Ikinuwento ni Junjun sa pulis na siya’y isang mag-aaral sa syudad subalit hindi niya alam ang barangay na kanyang pinagmulan.

Sinabihan naman sila ng pulis na sila’y umabot na sa Brgy. Bugo na sakop na ng hilagang bahagi ng lungsod.

Sa ngayon, si Junjun at ang aso nitong si Tisay ay nasa ligtas na ang kalagayan.

Hindi pa rin malimutan ng bata ang malagim nilang karanasan habang nasa laot ng dagat.

I. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS TRACK RECORD MARKED BY PARTIALITY AND SUBSERVIENCE IN CASES INVOLVING THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION FROM THE TIME OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WHICH CONTINUED TO HIS DUBIOUS APPOINTMENT AS A MIDNIGHT CHIEF JUSTICE AND UP TO THE PRESENT.

 Midnight Appointments in violation against Sec. 15, Article VII of Constitution

 Arturo de Castro v. Judicial and Bar Council and President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, et. al., SC held that the prohibition does not apply to SC but only to executive department and other courts lower than SC.

 Indeed, Newsbreak report showed that “he has consistently sided with the (Arroyo) administration in politically-significant cases”. Newsbreak further reported when it tracked the voting pattern of Supreme Court justices, “Corona lodged a high 78 percent in favor of Arroyo”

 A table shows that in 10 cases show respondent’s voting pattern in cases involving Arroyo government’s frontal assaults on constitutional rights prior to his appointment as Chief Justice.

 During his tenure as Chief Justice, Respondent also sided with Arroyo in the following 3 cases such as in (1) Biraogo v. The Philippine Truth Commission of 2010, (2) Bai Omera D. Dianalan-Lucman v. Executive(revoking midnight appointments) and (3) Aquino vs. COMELEC (redefining districts of camsur)

II. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AND/OR BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST WHEN HE FAILED TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC HIS STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES, AND NET WORTH AS REQUIRED UNDERSEC. 17, ART. XI OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION.

 Respondent failed to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth as required by the Constitution.

 Some of the properties of Respondent are not included in his declaration of his assets, liabilities, and net worth, in violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

 Respondent is suspected of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquiring assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits (among others, a 300-sq. meter apartment in the Fort in Taguig).

III. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST BY FAILING TO MEET AND OBSERVE THE STRINGENT STANDARDS UNDER ART. VIII, SECTION 7 (3) OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES THAT “[A] MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY MUST BE A PERSON OF PROVEN COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY, PROBITY, AND INDEPENDENCE” IN ALLOWING THE SUPREME COURT TO ACT ON MERE LETTERS FILED BY A COUNSEL WHICH CAUSED THE ISSUANCE OF FLIP-FLOPPING DECISIONS IN FINAL AND EXECUTORY CASES; IN CREATING AN EXCESSIVE ENTANGLEMENT WITH MRS. ARROYO THROUGH HER APPOINTMENT OF HIS WIFE TO OFFICE; AND IN DISCUSSING WITH LITIGANTS REGARDING CASES PENDING BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.

 Respondent previously served Arroyo as her chief of staff, spokesman when she was Vice-President, Presidential Chief-of-Staff, Presidential Spokesman, and Acting Executive Secretary.

o Flip-flopping of the Corona Court on FASAP vs. PAL on a mere letter from Philippine Airlines’ counsel Atty. Estelito Mendoza (and also in the flip-flopping case of League of Cities v. COMELEC)

 Respondent compromised his independence when his wife, Cristina Corona, accepted an appointment as on March 23, 2007 from President Arroyo to the Board of the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) in violation of Code of Judicial Conduct

o serious complaints were filed against Mrs. Corona by her fellow board members because of acts of misconduct and negligence. Instead, on acting on the complaint, the complainants were removed and Mrs. Corona promoted as OIC board chair

 Respondent has been reportedly using the judicial fund as his own personal expense account, charging to the Judiciary personal expenditures.

 Respondent Corona discussed with litigants (Lauro Vizconde and Dante Jimenez) regarding the Vizconde massacre case, which was then pending before the SC and accused fellow Justice Carpio for loobying for acquittal, in violation of Code of Conduct and Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

 Respondent Corona irregularly dismissed the Inter-petal Recreational Corporation case under suspicious circumstances.

IV. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION WHEN IT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS BY ISSUING A “STATUS QUO ANTE” ORDER AGAINST THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CASE CONCERNING THE IMPEACHMENT OF THEN OMBUDSMAN MERCEDITAS NAVARRO-GUTIERREZ.

 Respondent railroaded the proceedings in the Guttierez case in order to have a
Status Quo Ante Order issued in her favor.

o Newsbreak showed that most of the justices received the Petition after the deliberations, while three (3) justices (Velasco, Bersamin and Perez) who voted to issue the Status Quo Ante Order received the petition a day after the status quo ante order was granted.

 Its issuance violated the principle of separation of powers since the Supreme Court
prevented the House from initiating impeachment proceedings.

V. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION THROUGH WANTON ARBITRARINESS AND PARTIALITY IN CONSISTENTLY DISREGARDING THE PRINCIPLE OF RES JUDICATA AND IN DECIDING IN FAVOR OF GERRY-MANDERING IN THE CASES INVOLVING THE 16 NEWLY-CREATED CITIES, AND THE PROMOTION OF DINAGAT ISLAND INTO A PROVINCE.

 Respondent violated the principle of the immutability of final judgments (“flipflopping”) known to have been instigated through personal letters or ex-part ecommunications addressed to the Respondent:

o League of Cities v. COMELEC case involving the creation of 16 new cities,

o Navarro v. Ermita which involved the promotion of Dinagat Island from municipality to province

o FASAP v. Philippine Airlines, Inc., et al.

VI. Respondent Betrayed the Public Trust By Arrogating Unto Himself, And To A Committee He Created, The Authority And Jurisdiction To Improperly Investigate An Alleged Erring Member Of The Supreme Court For The Purpose Of Exculpating Him. Such Authority And Jurisdiction Is Properly Reposed By The Constitution In the House of Representatives via Impeachment.

 Vinuya vs. Executive Secretary, it was alleged that rampant plagiarism was committed by the ponente, Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo

 It appears that, with a clear intent of exonerating a member of the Supreme Court, Respondent, in violation of the Constitution, formed an Ethics Committee thereby arrogating unto himself, and to a Committee he created, the authority and jurisdiction to investigate an alleged member of the Supreme Court.

VII. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS PARTIALITY IN GRANTING A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER (TRO) IN FAVOR OF FORMER PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO AND HER HUSBAND JOSE MIGUEL ARROYO IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE PROSECUTION AND TO FRUSTRATE THE ENDS OF JUSTICE, AND IN DISTORTING THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON THE EFFECTIVITY OF THE TRO IN VIEW OF A CLEAR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT’S OWN TRO.

 The Supreme Court, under the Respondent, immediately acted upon the Petition and granted the TRO despite the fact that there are clear inconsistencies in former President Arroyo’s petition

 It appears from reports that the ponente to whom the petitions were raffled was an Associate Justice. Under the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court, a TRO can only be considered upon the recommendation of the ponente. In view of certain objections against the grant of the TRO, a holding of a hearing within the short period of five (5) days was recommended. Despite this recommendation, the respondent engineered a majority of 8 votes (as against five dissenters) the immediate grant and issuance of the TRO in favour of former President Arroyo and her husband in blatant violation of their own internal rules.

 Despite the conditions laid by the SC for the issuance of the TRO, Respondent allowed the issuance of the TRO notwithstanding the fact there was noncompliance of an essential pre-condition

o Due to the Arroyos’ abject failure to comply with Condition 2, the Supreme Court en banc in its November 18, 2011 deliberations, by a vote of 7–6, found that there was no compliance with the second condition of the TRO.

Consequently, for failure to comply with an essential condition for the TRO, the TRO is not effective. However, by a vote of 7-6, the Supreme Court decided there was no need to explicitly state the legal effect on the TRO of the noncompliance by petitioners with Condition Number 2 of the earlier Resolution.

o However, the SC decided that the TRO was effective despite noncompliance with an essential condition of the TRO. It is notable that Respondent did not chastise Marquez for his outrightly false and public misrepresentation.

Worse, the Respondent did not correct the decision that was issued despite the fact that the decision did not reflect the agreement and decision made by the Supreme Court during their deliberations on November 18, 2011.

VIII. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED GRAFT AND CORRUPTION WHEN HE FAILED AND REFUSED TOACCOUNT FOR THE JUDICIARY DEVELOPMENT FUND (JDF) AND SPECIAL ALLOWANCE FOR THE JUDICIARY (SAJ) COLLECTIONS.

 Respondent has reportedly failed and refused to report on the status of the JDF
Funds and the SAJ collections.

 There is likewise the reported failure of Respondent to account for funds released and spent for unfilled positions in the judiciary and from authorized and funded but not created courts.

o In particular, the annual audit report of the Supreme Court of the Philippines contained the observation that unremitted funds to the Bureau of Treasury amounted to P5.38 Billion

o the Special allowance for Judiciary along with the General Fund, Judiciary Development Fund in the amount of P559.5 Million were misstated resulting from delayed and/or non-preparation of bank reconciliation statements and non-recording /uncorrected reconciling items.