PHNO-HL: NO MERCY: GOVT TO CONTINUE HOUNDING CORONA / NOY WON'T SIGN WAIVER

NO MERCY: GOVT TO CONTINUE HOUNDING CORONA /
NOY WON'T SIGN WAIVER

[PHOTO
-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. SENATE
POOL PHOTO]
MANILA, JUNE 1, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Christian V. Esguerra, Leila
B. Salaverria, Norman Bordadora - No mercy.
After his conviction in the Senate impeachment trial and ouster as Chief
Justice for dishonesty in submitting statements of assets, liabilities and net
worth (SALN), Renato Corona is facing an investigation for alleged ill-gotten
wealth and tax evasion, administration officials said Thursday.
"As a result of revelations made during the course of the impeachment trial,
certain agencies like the Office of the Ombudsman and the Bureau of Internal
Revenue had initiated their own processes to look into possible violations of
laws and rules over which they have jurisdiction and mandate to look into,"
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.
"I don't think that now that judgment has been rendered by the impeachment
court, these processes will also terminate," Abad said in a text message to the
Philippine Daily Inquirer. "The administration will not, I believe, interfere in
that."
Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said that the agency would use Corona's
waiver on his bank accounts, issued when he appeared in the Senate on Monday, to
investigate complaints against him.
One of the complaints involve the forfeiture of assets allegedly
disproportionate to the income he had declared in his SALN.
Just a job
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Thursday said the investigation was
ongoing, but declined to disclose specifics.
In her testimony in the Corona trial, Morales waved a report from the
Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) purportedly showing the Chief Justice had
82 bank accounts with $10 million to $12 million in "transactional balances."

The authenticity of the AMLC paper was not established, but it was repeatedly
cited by senator-judges as basis for Corona's conviction.
Corona impugned the validity of Morales' supposed evidence. He said he had
$2.4 million in bank accounts and did not disclose it because its absolute
secretary was guaranteed by the Foreign Currency Deposit Act (FCDA), or Republic
Act No. 6426. He said Morales simply allowed herself to be used by a vengeful
President Benigno Aquino.
"I'm not going to say what's the next step. All I'm saying is the
investigation is pending," Morales told reporters in an ambush interview
Thursday.
"You can file a case if all the documentary evidence can show there is
probable cause to indict someone. But if the evidence does not suffice, if it
calls for further investigation, then we will do that. Otherwise, if there is no
point conducting further investigation, then we will dismiss the case," she
said.
Asked if the guilty verdict against Corona felt like a vindication, Morales
said, "That's what my staff thinks, but for me that's just part of my job."
"Whether he was convicted or not, I thought I did what was expected of me. I
feel good. I feel fulfilled. Now, if I was judged wrongly, I'm sorry, so be it,"
she said.
No effect
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday said in a media forum
that it was normal for prosecution to follow impeachment.
"It is possible that he might be acquitted in civil and criminal cases in
court but it would not change the findings of the impeachment court," Cayetano
said.
Cayetano said Corona should have no problem if he could prove in a regular
court that his P80.7-million deposit, for instance, indeed represented a
"commingled" fund, which included savings from his family members and money from
Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc.
"But if this money could not be explained, or worse, it is found to have been
ill-gotten, we have no choice (but to convict him). That's the law," the senator
said.
Cayetano said Corona lost his case in the Senate because of his
interpretation of the
FCDA as against the SALN law and the constitutional provision requiring all
government officials to state under oath all assets and liabilities.
"Because of his interpretation … the SALN became useless," the senator said.
"So that did him in. Many of us senators couldn't see how he could still be
effective as Chief Justice."
Unlike in a regular court of law, Corona was convicted in the impeachment
court because of the "mere fact" that he viewed RA 6426 apparently to mean that
he did not have to declare his dollar deposits in his SALN, Cayetano said.
He said Corona's fate after the impeachment trial would depend on the quality
of evidence that might be collected against him. "That's why Lady Justice is
blind. Pity, compassion, anger—all of these have no place in the justice
system."
FROM MANILA BULLETIN
PNoy Won't Take Waiver Challenge By GENALYN D.
KABILING May 31, 2012, 9:12pm

[PHOTO -President Benigno Aquino 111 (3rd from left) shakes hands with
Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister Hosyar Zebari as Iraq Ambassador to
the Philippines Wadee Batti Hanna Al-Batti (left), Department of Foreign Affairs
Scretary Albert Del Rosario and Department of Labor and Employment Secretary
Rosalinda Baldoz look on during the Minister's courtesy call on the President at
the Music Room of Malacanang on May 31, 2012. (Chari
Villegas)]
MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno S. Aquino III is not inclined to sign
a waiver opening his bank accounts to scrutiny, a Malacañang official said
Thursday.
Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said it was unfair to put
President Aquino in the same category as ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona,
since Aquino's wealth is not in question.
Before his conviction by the Senate impeachment court, Corona challenged
government officials to issue a waiver allowing investigators to look into their
bank deposits.
"Not at this time," Valte said when asked if the President would accept the
challenge of Corona.
"Is it fair to put the President who has not been accused of graft, who has
not been accused of dishonesty in the same category as the man who was just
removed from his post, from being the highest magistrate of the land?" she said.

While campaigning for the presidency in 2010, Aquino had promised to sign a
waiver on his bank accounts.
But Valte stressed that the President has remained transparent about his true
assets, pointing to his regular public disclosure of his Statement of Assets,
Liabilities and Net worth (SALN). She maintained that Aquino does not have any
dollar accounts.
In his 2011 SALN, the President declared total assets of P65.13 million,
including P26.22 million cash in hand and in the bank, P4.2 million worth of
motor vehicles, and P2 million in other assets.
Aquino's net worth was higher by P10.14 million in the second year of his
presidency due to an increase in value of his real properties.
Cabinet members have also been diligently filing their SALNs that are readily
available to the public, according to Valte.
"There is already a waiver in the SALN that authorizes the Ombudsman to get
all the relevant information from all government offices. Under the bank secrecy
law, there are exceptions that would trigger the opening of the accounts," she
said.
"Do we put other people in that same situation even when they are not accused
of hiding anything? The members of the cabinet have all declared their assets.
Their SALNs have been available to the public since they were sworn into
office," Valte said.
Just the same, Valte said it will be the personal decision of the cabinet
members if they will sign a waiver on their bank accounts.
So far, Presidential Political Adviser Ronald Llamas has accepted the waiver
challenge.



Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi

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NEWS ONLINE
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