MANILA, Philippines - A nun, who claims that she is concerned for the future of the country, is willing to testify against Chief Justice Renato Corona at the Senate impeachment trial.
Ninety-year-old Sister Flory Basa, aunt of Corona's wife Cristina, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that she is willing belie before the impeachment court the claims of the Coronas that the millions of pesos in the chief magistrate's bank accounts are owned by the Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI).
"Ang inaano ko lang, if he has been doing this to our little family, is it right that we will give him the opportunity to do it [to] the country?" Sister Flory said.
She said that she is also concerned for the future of the country "if he (Corona) does not resign and he will continue" as Chief Justice.
"Am I allowed there in the impeachment? I had enough already. Ang inaano ko lang, if for the sake of the country because truth must come out, and justice must come out. We know how our judicial system is also and everybody knows that about the corruption. We need somebody who will be more straight who will do the right thing, somebody who will have a real concern for the people," the nun said.
The nun is the aunt of Ana Basa and Cristina. Reports said that Ana told a group of congressmen that BGEI did not give authority for the supposed cash advance, which she said Corona should pay for.
Defense lawyers earlier claimed in the impeachment trial that Corona used the P11-million loan he obtained from BGEI to fund his and his wife’s acquisitions.
They also presented to the impeachment court a copy of the check that they said represented payment for building owned by BGEI sold to the Manila city government for P34 million.
The defense claimed the firm also owned the over P36 million in three accounts in Philippine Savings Bank which Corona withdrew on the day the impeachment complaint was filed against him on Dec.12 last year.
Ana contested the defense panel's claim, questioning why the account was under Corona’s name and not under their family’s corporation.
She had also accused Corona of pointing a gun at their former caretaker Pedro Aguilon in 1997, which was denied by the chief justice.
Sister Flory said in the television interview that everything that Ana had said are true. She denied that they are the ones harassing Corona and his wife.
"I think everything is right. That is how I see the truth. Kaya nga ang sinasabi ni Corona that he was the one harassed... as a family, when did we harass the Coronas?" she said.
The Basa family had filed an estafa case against Corona's wife. The Coronas, meanwhile, filed a counter charge of libel against them.