Land registrars: CJ, kin own properties

MANILA, Philippines - The registrars of deeds of Taguig, Quezon City and Marikina have attested to the existence of properties registered in the names of Chief Justice Renato Corona and his family.

The development unfolded on the fourth day of the impeachment trial of Corona yesterday, during which land and condominium titles were presented to the Senate impeachment court by the registrars of deeds of the three cities.

Corona has insisted he owns only five properties, contrary to allegations of the House prosecution panel that he and his family actually have more than 40 real estate possessions.

Upon direct questioning by prosecutor Rep. Elpidio Bargaza Jr., Taguig registrar of deeds Randy Rutaquio presented condominium certificates of titles and transfer certificates for properties owned by Corona and his wife, Cristina.

The documents, marked as exhibits for the court, cover the condominium units and some parking lots in Bonifacio Ridge, McKinley Hill and The Bellagio.

Rutaquio is the third witness for the prosecution for the impeachment complaint’s Article 2, on “failure to disclose to the public (Corona’s) statements of assets and liabilities and net worth as required under Section 17, Article XI of the 1987 Constitution.”

Rutaquio also presented transfer certificate of title 2093-P in the name of Ma. Charina Corona, one of three children of the Chief Justice.

Rutaquio also presented a deed of absolute sale for a 303.5-square-meter condominium unit in Taguig City in the names of Corona and wife Cristina.

“The deed of absolute sale pertains to the so-called Bellagio residences with Megaworld Corp. appearing as seller and with the spouses Cristina Corona and Renato Corona being the buyers,” said Barzaga.

Barzaga told the Senate impeachment court that the deed of sale covers one condominium unit with an area of 303.5 square meters and three parking slots with an area of 12.50 square meters each listed in separate condominium certificates of title. “For the record also, I would like to manifest that the selling price as indicated in this deed of absolute sale is P14,510,225,” Barzaga said.

“And further, I’d like to manifest that, in the SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) which was presented and identified, these Taguig properties were declared for the first time in the SALN of the respondent, Chief Justice Renato Corona, for the year 2010,” Barzaga added.

Certified true copies of Corona’s 2010 SALN submitted as evidence by first prosecution witness Supreme Court clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal to the impeachment court last Wednesday showed only five properties.

There was a note in Corona’s 2010 SALN which read: “We sold two parcels of land in Quezon City to purchase/pay the loans for the condo units (4 and 5).”

As of 2010, the Corona couple reported having combined real properties amounting to P18.438 million and about P4.5 million in cash and investments, and jewelry or a total of P22.938 million in assets.

Daughter’s property

Rutaquio also testified that another property under TCT 2093-P is registered in the name of Ma. Charina Corona. There was also a deed of sale showing that Charina bought the property from Megaworld, with her father, as her attorney-in-fact.

Lead prosecutor Rep. Niel Tupas expressed concern that they might not be able to present all witnesses because of the defense panel’s frequent butting in during witnesses’ presentation. Tupas also appealed to the head of the defense panel, former justice secretary Serafin Cuevas, to avoid unnecessary lecturing during the trial.

During a brief break in the trial, Sen. Franklin Drilon was seen arguing with Francisco Tatad, telling the former senator: “You want to disqualify me here? Go ahead,” a witness who was inside the session hall said.

Tatad was apparently confronting Drilon over the latter’s perceived bias for the prosecution. Drilon, for the second time, apparently came to the rescue of the prosecution when he asked Rutaquio if he had personal knowledge of the authenticity of the deeds of sale and condo titles.

“You will confirm that based on your records, that the titles you brought here this afternoon (show the) current owner appearing in the title,” Drilon said, to which the witness replied: “Yes sir, I have also brought cancelled titles with me, to be honest.”

Prior to this, Cuevas tried to question the credibility of Rutaquio whom he accused of not having personal knowledge about the condo titles.

Early in the day, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile brushed aside perceptions that some senator-judges were biased for the prosecution. “Let that impression be a function of the public. If they have that impression, then they can punish us,” Enrile said before the 2 p.m. trial.

QC properties

Acting registrar of deeds of Quezon City Carlo Alcantara also presented documents showing several properties of the Coronas and a son-in-law.

The first property, TCT- 96031, was situated in a portion of Marikina City that is under the jurisdiction of Quezon City, which was sold to Cristina Corona in September 2003 for P11 million.

A 1,200-square meter property at the La Vista Subdivision (TCT No. 004-2010010259) was recorded as having been sold by Corona to his daughter Carla Castillo for P18 million.

Corona and his wife also purchased a unit at One Burgundy condominium (CCT No. N-35812) worth P2.8 million on Oct. 8, 2003.

There was also a record of a property along Kalayaan Avenue (TCT No. N-125683) sold by a certain Myrla Nelad-Bajar to Constantino Castillo III, a son-in-law of Corona, for P15 million on March 17, 2009. A property (TCT No. 85121) was also sold for P8 million by Corona and his wife to a certain Rhodel Rivera and his wife Amelia Rivera.

The prosecution also presented a property owned by Castillo III (TCT No. RT-20758), which he bought for P10.5 million from a certain Daniel Encina in 2003.

Two other properties (TCT No. RT-3191 and TCT No. N-141891) were also confirmed by Alcantara to be owned by Corona and his wife.

Acting Marikina registrar of deeds Sedfrey Garcia, for his part, confirmed that Corona’s wife owned eight properties in Marikina. Testifying as the third witness of the prosecution panel, Garcia presented TCTs N-97119, N-97120, N-97121, N-97212, N-97213, N-97214, N-97215 and N-85804. “Yes sir, I have the TCTs with me,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner Kim Henares appeared before the Senate impeachment court but did not testify. Henares appeared after receiving a subpoena from the impeachment court.

In a press briefing before the start of the trial, Henares said that her office was still in the process of preparing documents demanded by the prosecution as stipulated in the subpoena. These documents include the income tax returns of Corona, his wife, their children and son-in-law.

For the Chief Justice and his wife, the prosecution sought to secure their ITRs from 1992 to 2010. The ITRs requested from Carla and Castillo III cover the period

2000 to 2010. For Charina and Francis, the subpoena required them to present ITRs from 2005 to 2010.

Since Henares did not have the documents in her possession, the prosecution panel asked the Senate to excuse her and require her to return at a future date when all of the documents are ready. – With Marvin Sy, Jose Rodel Clapano