CJ ADMITS $2.4M, P80.7M DEPOSITS,
NEVER HAVE BETWEEN $10M AND $12M
[PHOTO - Supreme Court Chief Justice
Renato Corona pauses during his impeachment trial at the Senate, Friday, May 25,
2012. Corona testified at his impeachment trial that he did not violate any laws
when he failed to declare $2.4 million in bank accounts. AP]
MANILA, MAY 27, 2012 (PHILSTAR) Chief Justice Renato Corona told
the Senate impeachment court on Friday that his four dollar accounts hold $2.4
million, but said that never at any point did he have between $10 million and
$12 million.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales had earlier told the impeachment court that
Corona had transactional balance of at least $10 million.
Answering questions from Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano, Corona added that
he and his wife began buying dollars in the 1960s when the exchange rate was
still $1 to P2 and chose to invest in dollars because the currency earns "high
interests."
"Kung bakit dollars [ang napili namin] napaka-stable noong currency. Hindi
kami nagkamali dun sa hedging in dollars," Corona said.
Corona reiterated that his acquisition of dollars earned interests over the
years and that they never touched their interests.
"Sa lahat ng panahong iyun, nasa private sector ako, by present standards
nasa P90 million na iyan ...at paglago nyan interest over the years...there was
hardly anytime na nagalaw namin ang interest, nag ko-compound-compound po iyan,"
he added.
Meanwhile, his peso accounts hold some P80.7 million, which included funds
from his daughters and son-in-law and those that were given to him by his mother
in 1995 when she was diagnosed with cancer.
The "co-mingled funds" consist of P34.7 million earned from the sale of the
Basa-Guidote Enterprises property in Manila, and the money from his children
Charina (P15 million), Carla (P4 million) and son-in-law Francis (P2 million),
and the "Coronado" fund from his late mother.
"Kaya naman po co-mingled funds kasi mas malaki ang deposit, mas malaki ang
interest ang makukuha namin," he said. - Dennis Carcamo
CJ submits 'unconditional' waiver on bank accounts
By Cheryl M. Arcibal and Dennis Carcamo The Philippine Star Updated May 25, 2012
02:33 PM 57 comments to this post
[PHOTO-Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, center, walks with
his wife Cristina, second from right, to testify for the second time in his
impeachment trial Friday, May 25, 2012 at the Senate. Corona apologized to the
Senate for the "walk out" last Tuesday and submitted an "unconditional" waiver
on his bank accounts. AP]
MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Renato Corona on Friday submitted his
waiver to the Senate impeachment court to allow banks and government agencies to
scrutinize and disclose details about his assets including his dollar deposits.
Corona, who returned to the Senate straight from hospital confinement, told
the Senate impeachment court that he is submitting his waiver without waiting
for similar waivers that he initially sought from 188 lawmakers from the House
of Representatives who signed the complaint and Senator Franklin Drilon.
"Hindi ko na po hihintayin iyong iba [na pumirma ng waiver]," Corona said and
produced a document to submit to Enrile.
The Chief Justice also said the impeachment court could summon bank managers
to testify on his dollar and peso accounts.
Corona signed the same waiver in his first appearance before the impeachment
court on Tuesday after an almost three hour opening statement. He, however, said
that he will formally submit the waiver to the court only after Drilon and the
188 congressmen had signed similar waivers.
In his statement, Corona denied that he had 82 foreign currency accounts, but
said he only has four dollar deposits and three peso deposits. He also
reiterated that he only had five properties, not 45 as alleged by the
prosecution.
After a brief caucus with the senator-judges, Senate President and Presiding
Judge Juan Ponce Enrile Enrile said that the impeachment court could only take
note of the waiver and could not act on it.
"We cannot subpoena any of the persons mentioned here given the fact we are
not supposed to produce evidence for the prosecution or the defense. We take
note of the waiver but we cannot act on it," Enrile said.
The prosecution panel said it would no longer use the waiver since the chief
justice already admitted the existence of dollar accounts.
"Inamin po nya na mayroon na po siyang dollar account.. Tapos sinabi po nya
na hindi po nya deklarado sa SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net
worth). Hindi na po natin kailangan yung waiver ni chief justice dahil mismo sa
kanyang bibig nanggaling na hindi po nya sinundan yung Republic Act 1319 and
6173 na nire-require po na lahat ng ari-arian ng isang public oficial ay
nakadiklara sa kanyang SALN," Rep. Erin Tanada, prosecution panel spokesman,
said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Miro Quimbo, another spokesman for the prosecutors, said the
unconditional waiver submitted by the high magistrate has not been damaging to
the case.
"Wala kaming nakitang punto na pwedeng maging damaging sa prosecution..
Bagkus kabaligtaran pa.. Ang daming admission dun in fact damaging to the case
of the chief justice," Quimbo said.
Fatigued, no walk out
The Chief Justice also apologized to the court for leaving the witness stand
on Tuesday without Enrile's permission, but insisted that it was not a walk out.
"Ako po'y nagpapakumbaba at humihingi po ng inyong paumanhin sa nangyari
noong Martes. Hindi ko po inaasahan ang mangyayari. Alam ninyo naman po ang
pinagdaanan namin sa nakalipas ng anim," he said.
"Mahirap po i-describe ang sama at sakit ng loob na aming pinagdaanan...
Siguro nagkasunud-sunod na po. For almost a week hindi ako nakatulog na mabuti.
The night before,totally wala akong tulog," Corona told the impeachment court.
He said he was unable to eat lunch last Tuesday owing to upset stomach.
"Hindi rin ako nakakain ng lunch. Nagbabaligtad ang aking sikmura sa
nerbiyos. Akoy' nagpapakumbaba na humihingi ng patawad sa inyo, sa prosekyusyon
at defense na rin dahil hindi nila alam ang nangyari," Corona said.
He said that he left the witness stand when he felt nauseous after reading
his statement. Corona, a diabetic since 1986, said he had no intention to
disrespect the impeachment court but he was disoriented because of low blood
sugar.
"Hindi po ganoon (walkout)... may dalawang pahina na hindi nabasa, it was
totally unexpected ang nangyari...Kailangan pa bang ako'y mamamatay para
mapatunayan na sinasabi ko ay tototo?...Ilang beses na rin akong nabastos sa
publiko ng ating pangulo pero wala kayong narinig sa akin. Hindi naman po ako
bastos na tao ," he said.
Corona told Enrile that he was still weak, but assured that he will try his
best to answer questions from the senator-judges. The prosecution has manifested
that it will no longer cross-examine the embattled magistrate. -- with a report from Cris Cayanan
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
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