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MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine Senate voted on Tuesday to remove thecountry's top judge for failing to disclose his wealth, a landmarkvictory for President Benigno Aquino as he pushes a campaign toroot out endemic corruption in the Southeast Asian nation. More than two-thirds of the 23 senators voted to oust Supreme CourtChief Justice Renato Corona, who becomes the first official in thecountry to be removed by an impeachment court. The decision barshim permanently from public office. The ruling is likely to be welcomed by investors amid concern thatthe four-month-long trial was distracting the government frompolicy matters at a time when the Philippines is seeing aresurgence of interest in its long-underperforming economy. "The effect is clear, it will be a boost to the anti-corruptioncampaign of the president, it will also be a big boost to hissupport base," said Ramon Casiple, executive director of theInstitute for Political and Electoral Reforms in Manila. At least sixteen votes were needed to convict Corona on charges offailing to disclose his assets, liabilities and net worth. Theprosecution accused Corona of hiding a portion of his Philippinepeso and US dollar bank accounts valued at over $4 million. He was also accused of showing favoritism towards former PresidentGloria Macapagal-Arroyo by ruling that she could leave the countrylast year despite a government ban on her overseas travel. H isimpeachment on the financial charges meant no verdict was requiredon his alleged bias towards Arroyo. The impeachment of Corona, once Arroyo's chief of staff, removes apotential obstacle to prosecuting the former president, who is indetention at an army hospital awaiting trial on electoral fraud andcorruption charges. Corona's supporters say the case was a political vendetta by Aquinothat weakens the country's institutions. Corona says Aquino decidedto pursue him because of his connections to Arroyo, and because ofa Supreme Court ruling last year to break up a huge sugar estateowned by the president's family. Aquino has maintained broad public support for his anti-graftdrive. He won a landslide election victory in 2010 on the back ofpledges to end a culture of corruption that has long dogged theeconomy, and which he says flourished under Arroyo. Former President Joseph Estrada also faced corruption charges inthe same impeachment court, but the trial was stopped after theprosecution walked out of the hearings, later resulting in apopular revolt that ousted him in 2001. (Reporting by Rosemarie Francisco; Editing by Stuart Grudgings and Daniel Magnowski ). I am an expert from mixed-refrigerant.com, while we provides the quality product, such as HC Refrigerant , China HFC Refrigerant, R404a Refrigerant,and more.
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