'LAPDOG' / LACIERDA: BASA-GUIDOTE MONEY?
MANILA, MARCH 9, 2012
(ABS-CBN) By Willard Cheng - Malacañang refuted a statement of
Chief Justice Renato Corona that the root cause of his impeachment was the
Supreme Court's adverse decision on the Hacienda Luisita owned by the
President's family.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the root cause of
Corona's impeachment was Corona's "lapdog loyalty" to former President Arroyo as
shown by the High Court's issuance of the TRO against the watchlist order on the
former President.
"It's not about Hacienda Luisita. It's about his lapdog loyalty to the former
President. Kitang-kita po ito sa TRO na inisyu nila without giving the
opportunity [to be heard]," Lacierda told reporters.
"Ang puno't dulo nito po nito ay 'yung TRO because I was present in that room
with the President when the Supreme Court spokesperson announced that the TRO
will be… issued without giving the government the opportunity to be heard."
The President's spokesman said the Aquino administration was not opposed to
land distribution, citing the fact that the government did not file a motion for
reconsideration when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of to distribute Hacienda
Luisita.
He added that it was when the Supreme Court earlier ruled that the
stock distribution option was valid that the Aquino administration filed a
motion for reconsideration.
"The first decision by the Supreme Court on the Hacienda Luisita issue was
favoring Hacienda Luisita. Ano po ang sinabi ng Korte Suprema? Valid po ang
stock distribution option. That was valid. Ano po ang ginawa ng gobyerno and I
mean the Aquino government? The Aquino government filed a motion for
reconsideration questioning that decision. At ano po ang ginawa ng Supeme Court?
Bumaligtad sila at sinabing the only valid option is land distribution. What did
we do after that? Did we file a motion for reconsideration on the decision of
land distribution? No. The government agreed. The President agreed. He respected
that decision. What is now the issue? The issue is the valuation. It's still
pending with the Supreme Court," Lacierda said.
Corona earlier told radio DZBB that the impeachment case against him was
prompted by the Supreme Court decision to distribute the Cojuangco-owned
Hacienda Luisita to farmer-beneficiaries.
He said he has opposed a P10 billion compensation to the Cojuangcos for the
loss of their hacienda, thus starting impeachment moves against him.
"They want to remove the head because I am the one stopping the P10 billion
payment," he claimed.
Aside from the SC's Luisita ruling, Corona had previously cited other reasons
allegedly behind the filing of the impeachment complaint.
He accused his fellow Supreme Court magistrate, Antonio Carpio, of
helping prosecutors in the impeachment case because Carpio wanted to replace
him. "Hindi mo maalis sa akin dahil matagal na niyang gustong maging Chief
Justice. Alam ko yung partners niya sa law firm ang gumagalaw," he said,
referring to Carpio's law firm, Carpio Villaraza & Cruz.
He also said Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas wanted him removed because it
would help in his electoral protest against Vice-President Jejomar Binay.
He also said Aquino wanted to control the judiciary and establish a
dictatorship.
'Let Sereno testify'
The Palace asked Corona and the Supreme Court to allow Associate Justice Ma.
Lourdes Sereno to appear in the impeachment court to testify on the
circumstances of the issuance of the TRO against the watchlist order against
Mrs. Arroyo.
Lacierda said this is one way for the "truth" to "come out."
"In the dissenting opinion of Justice Sereno, kitang kita po, minaneobra ni
Chief Justice Corona 'yung information na sinabing full force in effect na ang
TRO whereas in truth and in fact hindi pa complied [with] ang conditions ng
TRO," he said.
"Let me ask Chief Justice Corona and the justices, you lift judicial
privilege and let Justice Sereno speak out and see if she is lying. Let the
justices speak out and see who's telling the truth. The only way for the truth
[to] come out if you let Justice Sereno speak out and waive your judicial
privilege and let's see," he added.
'Asal kalye'
The President's spokesman dared Corona not to wait for his turn to present
his evidence in court if he has nothing to hide about his assets and dollar
accounts. He said Corona could have done the explanation before the media.
"Truth does not require that it be shown in the impeachment. If you believe
in the truth and if you believe that you have been forthright and honest then
show it anytime. It does not require a formal setting like the court," Lacierda
said.
He said that the President never went personal against the Chief Justice and
turned the tables against Corona, saying that it was Corona who dared the
President to release Aquino's psychological records that, according to the
Palace, never existed.
"Nag-asal kalye po si Chief Justice Corona," Lacierda said.
Lacierda took exception to Corona's call on the President to instead focus on
the economy and providing jobs. He labeled this as "spin" of Corona's "political
operators."
He stressed that the administration has been addressing the concerns on on
jobs and the economy.
"There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. There are none so deaf
as those who refuse to hear," he said.
Corona can't use carelessness as excuse, Lacierda says
by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 03/07/2012 2:21 AM | Updated
as of 03/07/2012 10:43 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Having worked as a lawyer for accounting giant
SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV), Chief Justice Renato Corona can't use
"carelessness" as an excuse for alleged discrepancies in his statements of
assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda
said on Tuesday.
Lacierda, in an interview with ANC Primetime, said the Chief Justice himself
prepared his own SALN.
"[Lead defense lawyer Serafin] Cuevas mentioned baka lapse lang iyan, but you
must remember that Chief Justice Corona worked for SGV. It's an auditing firm.
He's familiar definitely with accounting procedures. It's not a viable excuse na
careless ka," he said.
Journalist Raissa Robles has raised the same issue in her blog that cited
Corona's experience in financial and tax matters.
Lacierda believes that Corona's lawyers are hard put to explain allegations
in Article 2 of the impeachment complaint, which tackles the Chief Justice's
alleged failure to disclose to the public his SALN, in violation of the
Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Article 2.3 also accuses Corona of failing
to include in his SALN all of his properties and assets.
Law experts have also said that Article 2 may decide Corona's impeachment
case.
Basa Guidote money?
"I, as a lawyer, have gone through possible defenses. If they're going to use
Basa Guidote, it's quite difficult," Lacierda said.
Defense lawyers earlier said Corona had to close 3 peso accounts in
Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) on the day he was impeached because the money
belongs his wife's company, Basa Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI).
Defense spokesman Atty. Tranquil Salvador III said questions regarding
Corona's bank accounts will be answered when the defense presents its evidence.
Laciera, however, said the properties and the cash that was uncovered during
the trial is beyond what BGEI allegedly owns.
He added that the defense will also find it difficult to explain
discrepancies in Corona's SALN without the Chief Justice himself taking the
witness stand.
"The only one who can explain the SALN would be the Chief Justice," he said.
However, he warned that Corona will face grilling if he takes the witness
stand, which Cuevas is trying to avoid.
"If Chief Justice Corona does not testify, it's like he is hiding the truth.
They have to decide in one way or the other whether they will allow Chief
Justice Corona to testify," he said.
"It would certainly be welcome for the public to know from the very mouth of
the Chief Justice how he acquired those properties, how he acquired those cash,"
he added. "But he opens himself up to a number of questions from the senators
and the prosecution."
Lacierda said the Palace is not surprised Corona has not resigned. "He has
stated from the very start he was going to fight until the very end."
Burden now on defense
Lacierda said the burden has shifted to the defense following the Senate
impeachment court's decision to reject their motion to quash evidence related to
Corona's bank records.
"At this point, it would be difficult for senators to explain a judgement of
acquittal on Article 2," he said, adding that prosecutors and senators are also
waiting for the Supreme Court to lift its temporary restraining order on
Corona's dollar deposits.
"The decision to admit them all as evidence proves the legal proposition that
there is no exclusionary rule when it comes to the Bank Secrecy Law or the
Foreign Currency Deposits Act. It means admissible siya," he said.
"What happens now is the presumption of ill-gotten wealth has shifted to the
defense. The defense would have to present evidence to sustain the position that
the properties of the Chief Justice were acquired legitimately," he added.
'Muddled with technicalities'
Lacierda said Corona's impeachment trial has been "muddled with
technicalities."
"That is what the President is saying, 'let me bring it back to the original
issue here,'" he said.
"This is the reason why the President has spoken, and also to enlighten the
people na it's not the 'sidetrack by technicalities,' by all the legal sparring
between the 2 teams. It's more of ano ba talaga ang ginawa ni Chief Justice
Corona?" Lacierda said. "That's his purpose."
He said the Palace is supporting prosecutors by helping them secure documents
belonging to the executive branch.
"For instance, the securing of the land titles. The SALN of the CJ when he
was in Malacañang," he said.
"But records belonging the other branches, it's going to be difficult. How
can you compel [Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes] Sereno to testify if the Supreme
Court issued its ruling on judicial privilege? That is something that we have to
respect," he added.
No 'reward' for prosecutors' dads
Meanwhile, Lacierda denied the allegation made by opposition Rep. Mitos
Magsaysay that the Palace rewarded prosecution team members Rep. Erin Tañada and
Rep. Bolet Banal by appointing their fathers to government posts.
"She recklessly jumped again, without doing her homework. She thought that
those were rewards," he said.
"They've been appointed long ago, even before the impeachment," he added.
Lacierda said former Sen. Wigberto Tañada's appointment was announced in
August 2011 while Jorge L. Banal s appointment was announced in September.
"It's on record. They can always verify," he said, adding that he is inviting
Magsaysay to check the appointment papers of the 2 officials.
He also downplayed any "rewards" for House prosecutors themselves.
"We don't know kung anong mapapala nila, but basically it's an effort on what
they have done. Kapag nanalo is the reward is pushing through with reforms in
the judiciary," he said.
He, however, expressed concern for private prosecutors who may encounter
difficulties if they have a case before the Supreme Court.
"Clearly, disadvantaged ang mga private prosecutors kapag nanalo, natalo,"
Lacierda said. "Hopefully, walang personalan but Philippine culture, as it is,
very personalistic. May nagtatanim, may bengadoso."
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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