MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/22 May) – In an apparent bid to explain his financial assets and debunk allegations he had acquired illegal wealth, a combative Chief Justice Renato Corona declared in his opening statement at the impeachment trial today that he and his family had led a simple lifestyle despite having inherited a fortune and earned much as a lawyer.
Speaking mainly in Tagalog,the impeached chief magistrate said they invested their money in foreign currency deposits and not in properties, and had shied away from “sosyalan” (high-end lifestyle).
He said that for the past 42 years his family had not rented a house nor paid amortizations for loans.
He said they had no servants at home, owned no expensive cars and ate simple meals.
Corona is being accused, among others, of non-disclosure of some of his assets in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.
In his subsequent testimony, Corona said he started investing in foreign currency deposits in 1968 when the dollar-peso exchange rate was still, to his recollection, 1:2. He added that what he and his family have at present are the fruits of hard work and not stolen from public coffers.
Asked by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on the nature of his investments, the Chief Justice said he had earned from compounded interest.
Corona chided Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales for allegedly bloating the amount of his dollar accounts. He said it was not true that he had $10-12 million in the banks, but did not also say how much he actually had.
Corona also refuted allegations he had lied in his SALN by not disclosing his dollar accounts, saying Republic Act 6713, the SALN law, does not do away with the secrecy of foreign currency accounts as provided for in RA 6426.
In the early part of his opening statement, Corona hit the Aquino administration for allegedly using the whole state machinery to remove him from office. He said the President wanted to exact vengeance because the Supreme Court voted to have the lands of Hacienda Luisita distributed to its workers.
Hacienda Luisita is owned by the family of President Aquino on the Cojuangco side.
Corona also hit the “black propaganda” against him in the media.
After his presentation where he refuted the Ombudsman’s testimony last week at the Senate, Corona left the impeachment court without permission from the presiding officer. This prompted Enrile to order Justice Serafin Cuevas to call back Corona reminding him that his client had not been dismissed yet.
An apologetic Cuevas told Enrile the Chief Justice was merely “taking some medicines and attending to personal necessities.”
Some people in the Senate gallery booed Cuevas’ explanation. Enrile then warned the observers he would tell the sergeant at arms to lead them out if they would not behave. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)
