Corona, kin given ultimatum to answer tax evasion rap

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has given ousted chief justice Renato Corona, his daughter and his son-in-law a 10-day ultimatum to answer the P150-million tax evasion charges filed against them by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Corona, his daughter Carla Castillo and her husband Constantino Castillo failed for the second time yesterday to appear before the DOJ investigating panel and submit their respective counter-affidavits to the complaint.

Their lawyer Anacleto Diaz explained he was not ready to submit the answers of his clients since he was only hired last Oct. 1 and had insufficient time to go through the voluminous documents regarding the complaint.

He asked the DOJ panel for 30 more days to submit the counter-affidavits.

But the DOJ panel chaired by Senior State Prosecutor Rosanne Balauag gave him only 10 days to comply and set the next hearing on Oct. 15.

The investigating prosecutors gave the Coronas a final extension since they were already given 10 more days to answer the complaint.

Diaz, also the legal counsel of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan, lamented the decision of the DOJ panel.

“The 30-day period we asked for is just normal. Maybe we can comply (with) that on the case of the Castillo couple. But for the former chief justice, that would be impossible,” he explained.

He said the 323-page complaint is very technical in nature and needs a thorough review for them to come up with a sound answer.

The prosecutors warned Diaz that if they fail to submit their counter-affidavits and present the respondents at the next hearing, the case would be deemed submitted for resolution.

In a complaint filed before the DOJ, the BIR accused Corona and the two other accused of violating the National Internal Revenue Code by not filing their respective income tax returns for several years.

Corona allegedly violated the tax code in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2010, while Carla violated the code in 2010.

Her husband, meanwhile, supposedly evaded taxes in 2003 and 2008, and failed to file a tax return in 2003.

Corona had already denied the accusations.

He said the charges were part of his persecution by the administration of President Aquino.

Corona vowed to disprove the allegation by submitting to the process just as he did in the impeachment case against him.