Leaders stand up for what is morally right, nothing less is expected from them. Should they find themselves in conflicting situations, their conscience dictates them to veer towards what shall be the morally impactful decision, regardless of who will be unhappy with it.
In this instance, we have a Chief Justice who stood by his decision and was unceremoniously impeached later. He died a broken man but has now been vindicated by the most recent Sandiganbayan decision.
Chief Justice Renato Corona has always been one of my inspirations growing up as a young man and as a lawyer. He is my fraternity brother in the Fraternal Order of Utopia of the Ateneo Law School and my godfather at my wedding. I can say that after my father and our former law school Dean Cesar Villanueva, CJ Corona was the largest influence for me to become a lawyer and conduct myself with integrity and moral uprightness.
When I was in law school, I would always find ways to meet with CJ Corona and his family. He was classmates with my late father-in-law, Atty. Mariano "Nitoy" Celis, also my fraternity brod. Thus, my wife and I would always find ourselves in their class reunion gatherings that were also attended by former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and Merceditas Gutierrez. CJ Corona, his wife Tita Tina, and their children were all very close to us.
When the impeachment proceedings happened, I was a newly minted lawyer working in a law firm that happened to be on the other side of the fence. I distanced myself from the proceedings but still helped the best way I can. I closely watched the proceedings until the most unsavory thing happened, CJ Corona was impeached, and worse, humiliated publicly. I knew that one day, CJ Corona will be vindicated for doing what he thought and knew was right after he was castigated for flimsy accusations due to the whims and caprices of our then-leaders. I am thankful for the three erudite and wise Senators who voted in favor of CJ Corona — Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Senator Joker Arroyo, and now President Bongbong Marcos Jr.
CJ Corona died in 2016. I remember that morning vividly — I was driving to my office, then to BSP Manila. I pulled over at the Roxas Boulevard service road to cry and mourn on my lonesome. I was sad that CJ Corona did not live to see the day of his vindication. My wife and I attended his wake, and there we saw the support and determination of his loved ones; we knew that he will be one day vindicated.
I continued working in the public and private sectors, and I learned more about how the plan to impeach CJ Corona was hatched. I learned of specific political groups and a fraternity that planned this from the beginning until its final implementation. It is depressing to see that certain people find joy in the suffering and grief of others as if they were their own playthings. The people who brought CJ Corona down are one by one realizing the karma that they deserve.
The Sandiganbayan decision has brought closure to this chapter in the story of CJ Corona. The legacy of CJ Corona lives on through his colleagues, family, and loved ones. Now that his soul may truly rest in peace, the Filipino people must learn from the life of CJ Corona — a man who shall not be forgotten.
For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com.
