Sandiganbayan orders assets of Corona, wife frozen

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has issued the freezing of assets and properties of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife, Cristina.

In a writ of preliminary attachment, Sandiganbayan second division chairperson Teresita Diaz-Baldos said the freeze order covers about  P130.9-million worth of the couple's assets.

"I hereby command you to attach the estate, real and personal, of the aforesaid respondents, not exempt from execution, that may be found or located in your jurisdiction or anywhere in the Philippines," Baldos wrote.

The order issued May 4 stems from the forfeiture case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last March 27 against Corona for "unlawfully" acquiring properties and wealth while he was chief magistrate.

The anti-graft court said there are "adequate bases" for issuance of the attachment writ under the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure.

In the order, Corona and his family are given an option to make a cash deposit or file a counter-bond equivalent to the amount covered in the order.

The Sandiganbayan also ordered the sheriff attached to the division to prepare a complete inventory of the couple's properties within 30 days.

Corona was impeached in 2012 over misdeclaration of his wealth in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth required by the government.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales had said that a panel of investigators discovered that the Coronas earned a total income of over P30 million from 2001 to 2011.

The Ombudsman said Corona has amassed an unexplained wealth worth at least P130 million.

Last April 25, the Sandiganbayan issued a hold departure order against Corona, preventing him to leave the country.