Defense centers on Basa-Guidote lot sale

Former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza this afternoon testified at the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona on the acquisition of the city government of a property owned by Basa-Guidote Enterprise Inc., a firm owned by Corona's wife, Cristina.

 

Taking the witness stand, Atienza told the Senate impeachment court that the city government of Manila needed to relocate Sampaloc market owing to the construction of the LRT 2 Line in Legarda.

 

"The challenge called for an immediate replacement...we should have to look for a solution... the vendors were already agitated," Atienza said. He also told the court that he directed his people to get in touch with the owners of the property on the corner of Legarda and Bustillos streets.

 

Atienza said they wrote the BGEI on May 13, 1999 for the property's expropriation as a relocation site of the public market.

 

During a meeting with Cristina and her husband, then practicing lawyer Renato Corona, Atienza said Mrs. Corona presented to him an authorization for negotiations from the BGEI board.

 

Atienza said the Coronas were reluctant to sell the property but were willing to cooperate with the city government when he initially offered P25,000 per square meter for the property.

 

However, after a number of meetings, Atienza said they adjusted the offer price to P34,000 per square meter, which the BGEI accepted.

 

The BGEI property was finally acquired by the city government of Manila at P34.7 million, Atienza added.