G.R. No. 146738 Estrada vs. ArroyoG.R. No 146710-15 Estrada vs. DesiertoMarch 2 2001!A"#$% Estrada was inaugurated as president of the Republic of the Philippines on June 30, 1998 with Gloria Macapagal!rro"o as his #ice President$%n &ctober '000, %locos (ur go)ernor *uis +,ha)it- (ingson, a close friend the President, alleged that he had personall" gi)en Estrada .one" as pa"off fro. /ueteng hidden in a ban0 account 0nown as +Jose #elarde- 1 a grassrootsbased nu.bers ga.e$ (ingson2s allegation also caused contro)ers" across the nation, which cul.inated in the 3ouse of Representati)es2 filing of an i.peach.ent case against Estrada on 4o)e.ber 13, '000$ 3ouse (pea0er Mann" #illar fasttrac0ed the i.peach.ent co.plaint$ 5he i.peach.ent suit was brought to the (enate and an i.peach.ent court was for.ed, with ,hief Justice 3ilario 6a)ide, Jr$ as presiding officer$ Estrada, pleaded +not guilt"-$5he e7pos8 i..ediatel" ignited reactions of rage$ &n Januar" 18, a crowd continued to grow at E6(!, bolstered b" students fro. pri)ate schools and leftwing organi9ations$ !cti)ists fro. the group :a"an and !0ba"an as well as law"ers of the %ntegrated :ar of the Philippines and other bar associations /oined in the thousands of protesters$&n Januar" 19, 5he Philippine 4ational Police and the !r.ed ;orces of the Philippines also withdrew their support for Estrada and /oined the crowd at E6(! (hrine$!t 'BGE "e e&$"asiHed "e .as *eavin! t"e Pa*a)e- t"e seat o( t"e $residen)y- (or t"e sa2e o( $ea)e and in order to 'e!in t"e "ea*in! $ro)ess o( or nation. 4e did not say"e .as *eavin! t"e Pa*a)e de to any 2ind o( ina'i*ity and "e .as !oin! to re@ass&e t"e $residen)y as soon as t"e disa'i*ity disa$$ears> B3E "e e and BIE "e )a**ed on "is s$$orters to #oin "i& in t"e $ro&otion o( a )onstr)tive nationa* s$irit o( re)on)i*iation and so*idarity. Certain*y- t"e nationa* s$irit o( re)on)i*iation and so*idarity )o*d not 'e attained i( "e did not !ive $ t"e $residen)y. T"e $ress re*ease .as $etitionerCs va*edi)tory- "is +na* a)t o( (are.e**. 4is $residen)y is no. int"e $ast tense.T47R6: T"e $etitioner is $er&anent*y na'*e to a)t as President.Se)tion 11 o( Arti)*e V77 $rovides t"at 1Con!ress "as t"e *ti&ate at"ority nder t"e Constittion to deter&ine ."et"er t"e President is in)a$a'*e o( $er(or&in! "is (n)tions.3 Jot" "oses o( Con!ress "ave re)o!niHed res$ondent Arroyo as t"e President.T"e 4ose o( Re$resentative $assed on Kanary G4- G::1 4ose Reso*tion No. *7I ."i)" states: 1RES%5?T7%N ELPRESS7NG T4E S?PP%RT %F T4E 4%?SE %F REPRESENTAT7VES T% T4E ASS?;PT7%N 7NT% %FF7CE JM V7CE PRES76ENT G5%R7A ;ACAPAGA5@ARR%M% AS PRES76ENT %FT4E REP?J57C %F T4E P4757PP7NES- ELTEN67NG 7TS C%NGRAT?5AT7%NS AN6 ELPRESS7NG 7TS S?PP%RT F%R 4ER A6;7N7STRAT7%N AS A PARTNER 7N T4E ATTA7N;ENT %F T4E NAT7%NCS G%A5S ?N6ER T4E C%NST7T?T7%N.3 T"e Senate a*so $assed Senate Reso*tion No. 8G ."i)" states: 1RES%5?T7%N C%NF7R;7NG PRES76ENT G5%R7A ;ACAPAGA5@ARR%M%CSN%;7NAT7%N %F SEN. TE%F7ST% T. G?7NG%NA- KR. AS V7CE PRES76ENT %F T4E REP?J57C %F T4E P4757PP7NES37&$*i)it*y )*ear in t"at re)o!nition is t"e $re&ise t"at t"e ina'i*ity o( $etitioner Estrada is no *on!er te&$orary. Con!ress "as )*ear*y re#e)ted $etitionerCs )*ai& o( ina'i*ity. Even i( $etitioner )an $rove t"at "e did not resi!n- sti**- "e )annot s))ess(**y )*ai& t"at "e is a President on *eave on t"e !rond t"at "e is &ere*y na'*e to !overn te&$orari*y. T"at )*ai& "as 'een *aid to rest 'y Con!ress and t"e de)ision t"at res$ondent Arroyo is t"e de #re President &ade 'y a )o@e8a* 'ran)" o( !overn&ent )annot 'e revie.ed 'y t"e S$re&e Cort.F%?RT4: T"e $etitioner does not en#oy i&&nity (ro& sit.T"e S$re&e Cort re#e)ted $etitionerCs ar!&ent t"at "e )annot 'e $rose)ted (ort"e reason t"at "e &st +rst 'e )onvi)ted in t"e i&$ea)"&ent $ro)eedin!s. T"e i&$ea)"&ent tria* o( $etitioner Estrada .as a'orted 'y t"e .a*2ot o( t"e $rose)tors and 'y t"e events t"at *ed to "is *oss o( t"e $residen)y. %n Fe'rary 7- G::1- t"e Senate $assed Senate Reso*tion No. 83 1Re)o!niHin! t"at t"e 7&$ea)"&ent Cort is Fn)ts %,)io.3 Sin)e t"e 7&$ea)"&ent Cort is no. (n)tso,)io- it is ntena'*e (or $etitioner to de&and t"at "e s"o*d +rst 'e i&$ea)"ed and t"en )onvi)ted 'e(ore "e )an 'e $rose)ted. T"e $*ea- i( !ranted- .o*d $t a $er$eta* 'ar a!ainst "is $rose)tion. T"e de'ates in t"e Constittiona* Co&&ission&a2e it )*ear t"at ."en i&$ea)"&ent $ro)eedin!s "ave 'e)o&e &oot de to t"e resi!nation o( t"e President- t"e $ro$er )ri&ina* and )ivi* )ases &ay a*ready 'e +*eda!ainst "i&.T"e SC a*so r*ed in 7n re: Satrnino Jer&deH t"at 1in)&'ent Presidents are i&&ne (ro& sit or (ro& 'ein! 'ro!"t to )ort drin! t"e $eriod o( t"eir in)&'en)y and tenre3 't not 'eyond. Considerin! t"e $e)*iar )ir)&stan)e t"at t"e i&$ea)"&ent $ro)ess a!ainst t"e $etitioner "as 'een a'orted and t"erea(ter "e *ost t"e $residen)y- $etitioner )annot de&and as a )ondition sine 8a non to "is )ri&ina* $rose)tion 'e(ore t"e %&'ds&an t"at "e 'e )onvi)ted in t"e i&$ea)"&ent $ro)eedin!s.A*so- $etitioner )annot )ite any de)ision o( t"e SC *i)ensin! t"e President to )o&&it )ri&ina* a)ts and .ra$$in! "i& .it" $ost@tenre i&&nity (ro& *ia'i*ity. T"e r*e is t"at n*a.(* a)ts o( $'*i) o,)ia*s are not a)ts o( t"e State and t"e o,)er ."o a)ts i**e!a**y is not a)tin! as s)" 't stands in t"e sa&e (ootin! as any ot"er tres$asser.F7FT4: Petitioner .as not denied t"e ri!"t to i&$artia* tria*.Pervasive $'*i)ity is not $er se $re#di)ia* to t"e ri!"t o( an a))sed to (air tria*. T"e &ere (a)t t"at t"e tria* o( a$$e**ant .as !iven a day@to@day- !ave*@to@!ave* )overa!e does not 'y itse*( $rove t"at t"e $'*i)ity so $er&eated t"e &ind o( t"e tria* #d!e and i&$aired "is i&$artia*ity. 7n t"e )ase at 'ar- t"e re)ords do not s"o. t"at t"e tria* #d!e deve*o$ed a)ta* 'ias a!ainst a$$e**ant as a )onse8en)e o( t"ee