Prosecutors eye CJ bank records

MANILA, Philippines - Prosecutors are again eyeing the production of the bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife Cristina after witnesses revealed on Monday that the couple bought properties on “almost cash basis.”

“We are currently discussing the bank accounts of the Coronas. Although there is no decision yet, there is an inclination to request the Senate impeachment court to subpoena specific bank accounts,” lead prosecutor Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. told reporters yesterday.

Tupas said his panel is now in the process of identifying specific bank accounts of the Corona couple whose records they would request the impeachment court to subpoena “so we can comply with the directive of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.”

Last week, prosecutors asked Enrile to issue subpoenas to the Bank of Philippine Islands, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Philippine National Bank, and state-owned Land Bank for the production of the bank records of the Coronas without specifying their accounts.

They withdrew their request after Enrile ruled that the prosecution cannot introduce evidence to prove its accusation that the Chief Justice and his wife had acquired ill-gotten wealth.

Enrile, however, allowed evidence supporting the charge that Corona failed to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), and that he did not declare some of his properties in his SALN.

On Tuesday, Aniceto Bisnar Jr., vice president of Ayala Land which built the 20-storey Bonifacio Ridge condominium in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, told the impeachment trial that Corona and his wife “paid almost in full” in a month’s time for a 113-square meter unit.

He said Corona issued a P2.2-million check on March 31, 2004, followed by another check, under the name of Mrs. Corona, amounting to P6.9 million a month later on April 30, to cover the full purchase price of P9.1 million.

Corona also paid the value-added tax and documentary stamps.

Bisnar said his company considered the two checks issued in just a month as “cash payment.”

Another witness, Giovanni Ng, finance director of Megaworld Corp. which constructed the Bellagio Towers, testified the Coronas bought a 303-square-meter penthouse for P14.5 million in 2009, paying with two checks dated October 2008 and April 2009 worth P5 million each, and a third check worth P4.5 million dated October 2009.

In his answer to the impeachment charges against him, Corona admitted owning a “300-square meter apartment” in Taguig that he said was acquired on installment.

Prosecution spokesman Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said Corona gave the public the “misimpression that he had paid for his penthouse via installments of small amounts.”

“Apparently, his definition of installment is paying for the P14.5-million condo with only three checks: two checks for P5 million each and the third one for P4.5 million,” he said.

Quimbo said the Chief Justice did not declare the Bonifacio Ridge and Bellagio condo units in his SALN for the years during which they were acquired.

Corona declared the two assets in his 2010 SALN, giving a value of P6.8 million for the Bellagio penthouse and P2.3 million for the Bonifacio Ridge unit, way below their acquisition costs, he added.

“So the pattern of deceit and lies is clear insofar as the SALN is concerned,” Quimbo stressed.