February 20, 2012 - Adapting the tune of the popular old ballad, Mr. DJ, some 20 student leaders from various colleges in Metro Manila rendered a serenade in front of the Supreme Court building to call for Chief Justice Renato Corona's resignation, through a "request".

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), composed of student leaders from the University of the Philippines Manila and Diliman campuses, College of St. Benilde and the Philippine Normal University, sang "Mr. CJ" to the tune of the 1970s hit song "Mr. DJ" performed by artist Sharon Cuneta.

Cuneta's husband, Senator Francis Pangilinan, now sits as a senator-judge in the impeachment proceedings against Corona.

Pangilinan was also a member of the Judicial and Bar Council that recommended Corona to be included in the shortlist of candidates. Pangilinan later signed a resolution in February 2010 stating that former President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo should not make "midnight appointments" for the position of Chief Justice, pursuant to Section 15 Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution that prohibits the President from making appointments two months before the end of his/her term.

The student group's spokesperson JC Tejano asked Corona to leave the Supreme Court and open up access to his dollar accounts for scrutiny before the Senate impeachment tribunal.

Tejano described Corona's statements as "juvenile" when the Chief Justice called on President Benigno Aquino III to reveal his psychological records.

On Friday last week, Corona released a statement to the media in reaction to the President's speech commemorating the anniversary of EDSA Tagumpay ng Bayan at La Consolacion College. In the statement, Corona criticized, among others, Aquino's capacity to lead the country and his "meddling" with the impeachment proceedings.

"Why do you teach the youth to judge when they do not know the whole truth, when only one side is still being heard? Is this the 'justice and fair play' you teach the young? Give me, sir, the opportunity to give my side, present my evidence, answer your baseless charges, and to bring out the truth. This is true justice and based on our Constitution," Corona said in the statement sent to the media Friday.

"This is only Article 2 and yet the public is already seeing Corona as unfit to serve as chief justice. It won't be no surprise that Corona is convicted on this article along with the other articles of impeachment. Corona can still choose to cut clean and do the impeachment court a favor by resigning, instead of waiting for it to convict him," SCAP Secretary-General Gibby Torres said in a statement.

In a related development, an estimated 50 members of militant groups Sanlakas, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) also held a protest in front of the Supreme Court.

They called on Corona and other government officials to open their dollar accounts to the public.

Sanlakas spokesperson Rasti Delizo called on the high court to immediately lift its temporary restraining order on divulging the details of alleged Corona deposits at Philippine Savings Bank, which effectively stopped the disclosure of Corona's alleged foreign currency deposit accounts.

The group also challenged President Aquino and Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio to disclose details of their own bank accounts and other assets to the public.

BMP National President Leody de Guzman said, meanwhile, that it seems Aquino, just like his predecessor former President Gloria Arroyo, is out to create a Supreme Court that he can "hold by the neck" by appointing Carpio, in the event Corona gets convicted by the impeachment court.

ACL / Reportage from Andre Figuracion