Corona denies tax raps, says ombudsman ‘unfair’

MANILA, Philippines - Ousted chief justice Renato Corona accused yesterday Ombudsman  Conchita Carpio-Morales of being unfair in approving his and his wife’s indictment before the Sandiganbayan for alleged ill-gotten wealth amounting to P130.3 million.

In a statement, Corona said Morales violated his right to due process when she approved the charges of perjury and violation of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) against them.

“The denial of our motion for reconsideration by the ombudsman only proves that there was no possibility of getting justice from the present ombudsman who, from the beginning, exhibited unusual hostility towards me,” read the statement. Corona said Morales served as accuser, complainant, prosecutor, investigator, judge and executioner, all rolled into one. 

“Her fingerprints were all over the place from beginning to end of this so-called ombudsman’s investigation, even signing the resolution herself when she should have inhibited, inasmuch as she testified against me with unmasked hostility during my sham, bribe-laden persecutory impeachment trial in 2012,” read the statement.

Corona said Morales, a former colleague in the Supreme Court (SC), has “viciously hurled irresponsible accusations which up to today she has not proven with evidence.”

“After two years, she has not proven her wild accusations of my alleged 82 bank accounts and $12 million  totally false, totally baseless and malicious,” read the statement.

Corona said Morales committed an “error” in counting the alleged principal as income when it was re-deposited or rolled-over, and counting the same deposits repeatedly as new deposits “so as to arrive at an arithmetically exaggerated and bloated alleged ending balance.”

“This is something we have been expecting all along,” read the statement.

Corona said the case, as well as the tax evasion cases against him and his son-in-law Constantino Castillo before the Court of Tax Appeals are part of  “merciless persecution” and “harassment against me and my family” by the “Malacañang cabal.”

“A fair and intelligent review of my SALNs within the context of the law, and even simple arithmetic, will prove that I committed no perjury,” read the statement. “Moreover, there is no proof of wealth beyond what I could truthfully earn from honest hard work of 45 years, invest and save, in addition to my (and my wife’s) family resources, and a frugal lifestyle.

“I will not back out from this fight just as I never did from that phony impeachment mistrial because I know I am telling the truth, unlike those who persecuted and continue to persecute me and my family up to the present.”

The new cases against him are “just a diversionary propaganda to take away public attention from the indefensible illegal use of public funds which has destroyed the last remaining fabric of morality in public service and any semblance of whatever remains of the rule of law,” Corona said.