Conjugal abuse of public funds

AMADO P. MACASAET

‘The series of abuses may simply strengthen the hand of the Senate in coming to a probable verdict of guilty.’

BASED on existing records, it appears that Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife, Cristina Roco, plus son Francis, may have blatantly improperly taken advantage of their positions, power and influence inwhat a complainant said was the conjugal abuse of public funds.

Rafael L. Daytec Jr., operations group manager of John Hay Management Corp., stated in a sworn affidavit that the couple – and in one instance, the son – spent P117,388.99 in what appears to be unauthorized expenses incurred in their stay at the Baguio Country Club.

Worse, the couple stayed in the BCC when they could have avoided doing so for two reasons.

First, Justice Corona, as well as all members of the Supreme Court, have cottages in Baguio provided by the government.

Second, as chairperson of the JHMC, Mrs. Corona could have stayed in Manor Hotel, owned by the corporation she was running.

According to the affidavit of Daytec, the spouses Renato Corona and Cristina Roco availed of the "holiday package" offered by BCC. The cost of their stay was paid by JHMC.

The affidavit said the corporation did not adopt a resolution authorizing the couple to stay in the most prestigious private membership club in the summer capital.

The affidavit, which Daytec said is based on existing records, states that in three months – February, March and April of 2010, Mrs. Corona stayed at the BCC for nine times, three times in April and twice in May.

The cost of her stay in a few instances with the husband, the Chief Justice, was paid by JHMC to the Baguio Country Club.

On March 23, 2010, Francis Corona, son of the spouses was accommodated or stayed at the Club. Daytec said in his affidavit the billing instruction, obviously issued by JHMC told BCC "charges to be forwarded to John Hay Management Corp.

Daytec said "these (including the parents of Francis) were personal accommodations which Francis Corona or Mrs. Corona should have paid from her own funds.

Daytec explained "other billings forwarded by the Baguio Country Club to JHMC reflect expenses for messages, salon/parlor and spa services and diver’s accommodation and a whole lot of cafeteria concessions and still more driver’s quarters under the guest card name of the Chief Justice."

According to the affidavit, "in the last few days of June, sensing the inevitable end of her stint at JHMC, the chairman (Mrs. Corona) sent to the finance department a set of receipts amounting to P93,578.58 with a verbal instruction of expeditious processing of her reimbursables."

Daytec found the value of the receipts incredibly high compared to the previous instances.

The payments made by JHMC to the country club for the account of Justice Renato Corona and his wife as well as for son Francis are covered by debit vouchers now kept by Daytec.

It should have occurred to the Chief Justice that his job or that of his wife does not allow them to use public funds for private purposes. Nowhere in the affidavit of Daytec can be found even a word that says that the nine instances of accommodations at the Baguio Country Club were for official and legal purposes.

This is a violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct on the part of the Chief Justice and direct abuse of authority and power on the part of Mrs. Corona.

The affidavit of Daytec states "The dates covering the hotel accommodation at the Baguio Country Club on April 26 and 27, 2010 coincided with the dates when then Justice Corona, among other nominees for the position of Chief Justice were scheduled for theirinterviews to complete the selection process being undertaken by the Judicial and Bar Council here inBaguio. It is well-known fact that the Supreme Court has its own cottages for the justices."

These "crimes" may have been committed by lesser minions but they are not remotely expected from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

These "crimes" will not promote the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court which Mr. Corona says President Aquino is trying to destroy.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the members of the Court of Appeals who are signing a manifesto that says the President is destroying theindependence of the Supreme Court should have considered how the Chief Justice and his wife abused public funds staying without official authority in the Baguio Country Club.

The series of incidents in Baguio will not justify, least of all cover what is claimed to be pressure exerted by the President in having the Chief Justice impeached injust one day.

On the contrary, the series of abuses may simply strengthen the hand of the Senate in coming to a probable verdict of guilty. But that is a wild guess essentially based on the performance record of Mr. Corona and his pronounced bias for former President Arroyo and of course, the sound minds of the Senators sitting as judges in the impeachment court.

That bias does not improve the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court.