High Court asked to stop impeach proceedings vs Corona

MANILA — Two petitioners asked the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to stop the Senate from proceeding with the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Corona is set to defend himself before the 23-man chamber in January next year after he was indicted for violating the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, as well as charges of graft and corruption.
However, lawyer Vladimir Cabigao said the Chief Justice’s impeachment at the House of Representatives was done in haste, prompting him to ask the SC to issue a temporary restraining order and writ of prohibitory injunction against the Senate impeachment court.
He said congressmen were not even given enough time to review and read the complaint against Corona.
“Its power to initiate the case of impeachment against the Chief Justice was exercised in an arbitrary or despotic manner by reason of passion or personal hostility, so apparent and gross as to amount to an evasion of positive duty or to a virtual refusal to perform the duty enjoined or to act at all in contemplation of law,” the 15-page petition read.
Cabigao even quoted reports that the Aquino government tried to use its power in withholding the releases of the P70-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for congressmen to sign the impeachment complaint.
“If this was the case, it could further be said that the signatures obtained by respondent House of Representatives was a product of undue influence. According to Article 1337, New Civil Code, there is undue influence when a person takes improper advantage of his power over the will of another, depriving the latter of a reasonable freedom of choice,” he said.
Danilo Lihay-lihay, who regularly files cases against big-time tax evaders, echoed Cabigao.
He sought to nullify the impeachment complaint against Corona, saying the offenses cited by the House in its impeachment complaint were only intended to shame Corona and weaken the judiciary.
Lihay-lihay said the 188 congressmen who signed the complaint had sought to substitute their judgment for the SC, constituting an “unmitigated intervention in the exercise of the powers and duties of the SC.”
Last year, he filed a plunder complaint against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the P1-billion alleged anomalous sale of a property owned by Iloilo airport to Megaworld Corp. in 2007. The Department of Justice already recommended the dismissal of this case for lack of evidence but final review of the case is with the Ombudsman.
Last week, Batangas Representative Hermilando Mandanas was fired as chairman of the powerful House ways and means committee after refusing to sign the complaint.
However, President Benigno Aquino III said the lawmaker was replaced because he had a different stand on the revenue-generating measures of the government.
Mandanas is a member of the Aquino-led Liberal Party.
Cabigao was the counsel for the non-government Social Justice Society, which suffered a legal setback at the Court of Appeals (CA) last March on an issue involving the examination of the oil companies’ financial records.
In April 2009, Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. ordered the so-called “Big Three” oil firms Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Chevron Philippines Inc. to open their books to know if they are indeed involved in trade monopoly, predatory pricing and cartelization.
However, the CA said the Commission on Audit (COA), Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) had a pending petition before the Supreme Court also asking the nullification of Pampilo’s decision.
Under the principle of judicial courtesy, a lower court should desist from proceeding upon a case even in the absence of a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, the CA said.
Members of the 11-man prosecution panel, including House justice committee chairman Niel Tupas Jr., meanwhile, will start its work on the impeachment case against Corona this month.
“We will meet this week for the organizational structure and assignment of articles,” Tupas said in a text message referring to the eight articles of impeachment.
The prosecution panel is composed of Tupas, Farinas, Deputy Speakers Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada (Quezon) and Raul Daza (Northern Samar), Cavite Representative Elpidio Barzaga, Jr., and Representatives Joseph Emilio Abaya (Cavite), Giorgidi Aggabao (Isabela), Kaka Bag-ao (Akbayan party-list), Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna party-list), and Reynaldo Umali (Mindoro Oriental).
The Senate will start its impeachment hearings when Congress resumes session on January 17.
In a related development, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the Committee on Justice will continue hearing the impeachment case against Supreme Court Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo despite its busy schedule due to the separate move to impeach SC chief Renato Corona.
“The justice committee will have to work very hard. We will have to deal with those two problems but I’m sure that we will manage,” Belmonte told reporters.
Deputy Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas earlier said Del Castillo will likely be let off with a warning from the House justice committee since members of the panel will busy themselves in the next few months with Corona’s impeachment.
Del Castillo was accused of plagiarizing a High Court ruling on comfort women during World War II with at least 11 lawmakers calling for his impeachment. (Virgil Lopez/Kathrina Alvarez/JCV/Sunnex)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/12/20/high-court-asked-stop-impeach-proceedings-vs-corona-196638

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars based in Clark Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation. This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampana Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila. Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

This wine shop in Angeles Clark Philippines is also renowned for a very unique product called Vintage Beer which many characterize as “Champagne beer” because it comes in a bottle with a Champagne stopper and metal restrainer. Vintage beers are top-of-the-line luxury beers bottle-conditioned for a slow fermentation to take place inside the bottle, a process that is very similar to Champagne which is designed to not only create the bubbles but also for an amazing complexity and depth of flavors.

For fans of Port and Sauternes, this wine shop in Clark Pampanga has a large selection of vintage port, Sauternes and Barsac as well as Eiswein/Icewine from Austria and Germany. Likewise, there is a good selection of Vintage Champagne at the wine shoppers’ disposal in the cellars of this wine shop in Clark Pampanga.

Things to do in Clark Philippines and Angeles City Pampanga: go wine shopping at the most popular and famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com