MANILA, Philippines - The House prosecution team stands by the veracity of their evidence on the allegedly undeclared assets of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, the team's spokesman, said documents sourced from the Land Registration Authority (LRA) showed that of 45 properties being linked to Corona, at least 26 are in his and his wife's names. Moreover, at least 18 of the 26 properties in their names were acquired after Corona became Associate Justice.
The other properties are owned by some family members and other personalities.
"Nanggaling po sa LRA 'yon. These public documents are based on titles that are in their names," Quimbo said.
"That's the use of the impeachment trial. That's why we want to call him to say kung ano ang nature ng properties," he added.
Quimbo said Corona's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) was P13.9 million when he last filed it in 2002, an amount which was less than the acquisition price of one property under his name -- the penthouse unit of The Bellagio 1 condominium in The Fort, Taguig City.
"Kailangan ipaliwanag that in the last 9 years, a number of properties, at least 26 properties based on that list, wala dun sa kanyang SALN pero lumalabs na meron siya ngayon. So 'di natin alam kung ito ba ay acquired noon na itinago or ito ba ay acquired after siya maging Chief Justice."
"You had just P13.9 million assets in 2002, yet in 2008 or 2009, nakabili ka ng penthouse na worth over P14 million," he added.
House prosecutors have requested the Senate to subpoena Corona and his wife to shed light on the ownership of the said properties. Corona has only admitted to owning five.
Ready for trial
Quimbo said they are all set for the historic impeachment trial of Corona that will begin Monday.
"Susubukan po talaga nating gawin 'yong pinakamagandang magagawa natin. We've been preparing for this over the last six weeks."
The Senators will have a regular session at 9 a.m. on Monday. Then, they will hold a caucus after about two hours.
Quimbo said three matters will probably be brought up by the defense: the process of the filing of the impeachment complaint, the right of public prosecutors to hire private lawyers and a motion to cite in contempt the public prosecutors for violation of Section 18 of the Rules of Proceduce on Impeachment Trials or the "gag" rule.
"'Yong second and third are just dilatory. 'Yong una, mukhang talagang paguusapan po 'yan," he noted.
Monday's impeachment proceedings will begin at 2 p.m. and tackle Corona's motion for preliminary hearing.
The Chief Justice's camp insists this is needed to determine if the impeachment complaint is defective.
If the senator-judges grant the petition for preliminary hearing, the trial proper will be set aside and the defense team will be asked to present evidence and witnesses to prove their case.
If the senator-judges deny the petition, the impeachment court will proceed to the actual trial, wherein the prosecution will enumerate their evidence against Corona. - With a report from ANC
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