BY DUCKY PAREDES
MALAYA
‘There are at least three other ultra-expensive properties owned by the Coronas that the impeachment prosecution panel has documented.’
SENATOR Jinggoy said it. When the Senate received the impeachment complaint against Renato Corona, the son of Erap advised the Chief Justice: “Prepare to be embarrassed.”
Apparently, two weeks before the start of the impeachment proper, the “embarrassment” has begun in earnest.
Two days ago, on the front page of another newspaper was a half page photo of a 300.5 square-meter penthouse in in the Bellagio, a four-building complex in The Fort in Taguig City.
The model penthouse unit looks huge, with a panoramic view overlooking the back nine of Makati Golf and Country Club. According to documents unearthed by the House prosecution panel, the penthouse was bought at a huge discount — at only P14.5 million, still a princely sum for, at that time, an Associate Justice coming from 17 years of government service from the time he was appointed in 1992 by President Fidel Ramos.
(The highest-paid civil servant — the President — was making only P300,000 annually in 2009, when the unit was bought. An Associate Justice took home P19,500 monthly!)
Corona has not denied that he bought the penthouse unit, and says that he is still paying a monthly amortization. Really? So where did the Certificate of Ownership to the unit in the name of a Corona come from? No one issues that unless a unit has been fully paid!
According to the impeachment prosecution panel, composed of congressmen, there are at least three other ultra-expensive properties owned by the Coronas that they have documented!
Corona staunchly denies any wrongdoing. But if you’re obviously living it up on a Justice’s salary, then, eventually, the truth will out — sadly for him, in this case on the front page in full color!
Then, there is the Ph. D. from the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest university in Asia and more than 400 years old. UST gave Corona, already Chief Justice then, an honorary degree and more after the CJ studied for Ph. D. in Civil Law, a two-year course, that Corona took over a period of ten years, did not finish a dissertation (substituted for by a speech before law students and professors) and actually still lacked units, when the UST, during its 400th year celebration gave the CJ his Ph. D. summa cum laude, citing the CJ’s vast law experience as the equivalent of unfinished units.
Tsk, tsk!
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Former Senator Rene Saguisag says: “PNoy and the people have won and know it; Rene refuses to acknowledge that he and his family have lost and would rather have all their dirty linen exhibited for all the world to see.”
But, what if Corona survives and is not impeached?
Corona should heed the advice of former Senator Rene Saguisag, who said something to the effect that Corona has already lost half the battle with his impeachment by the House; the impeachment trial, Saguisag said, would only open a can of worms that could further destroy his reputation and impair his credibility as Chief Justice even if he is acquitted.
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Of course, there are still six cases filed with the Supreme Court asking that the impeachment be scrapped. Among those who filed to stop the impeachment was Alan Paguia whose practice of law was stopped by the Davide Court and brought back to life by the Corona Court.
Yet, in May 2010, Alan argued against the oft-repeated argument by other lawyers and by the justices of the SC itself that because the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) submitted at least 3 nominees for the position of Chief Justice from which Gloria chose Corona, the appointment was exempted from the prohibition on outgoing presidents making “midnight appointments” just before ending their terms.
What the JBC, in fact, recommends are, said Paguia, lists of candidates to become “members” who would fill vacancies in the court. Thus, the JBC list that included members of the Court was invalid since only one not three could be part of a list coming from the JBC.
Thus, Paguia wrote: “Dura lex sed lex. The law may be harsh to some, but that is the law.
“Mr. Justice Corona’s appointment as Chief Justice is, therefore, INVALID.”
Perhaps, this could be the prosecution panel in arguing that the CJ was, in truth and in fact, a “midnight appointee.”
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Katrina Legarda, another lawyer, writes: “What can the Court do? A lot. They can dismiss the petition; or require the Lower House to comment (thereby gaining a little time to continue arguing among themselves); or issue an injunction and prohibit the Senate from proceeding until all issues have been threshed out; or maybe even opine that the impeachment complaint is defective or without basis; or any other action it deems wise.”
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No matter what happens next, even at this very early stage, there seems no way for Renato Corona to regain stature enough to be able to function as an effective Chief Justice. As Jinggoy warned, the seat of the impeachee can only become hotter by the day as the time for the impeachment proper approaches and as the impeachment trial itself progresses.
Although the proper advice for Corona would probably be for him to resign, it would also probably be improper to suggest this since it would deprive the people of a circus which they have been looking to for entertainment, in the way that the impeachment of President Erap turned out to be, running as it did as a daily noon-time and evening telenovela.
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Readers who missed a column can access www.duckyparedes.com/blogs. This is updated daily. Your reactions are welcome at duckyparedes@yahoo.com
I agree with the writer that Corona has no way out. Even if he is acquitted, he will still be liable for corruption charges that will most certainly land him in jail. The best thing for him is to strike a sweet plea bargain like Gen. Garcia.
The “Bellagio Condo” is strong evidence to prove the corruption case of Renato Corona..its just a simple MATH in making calculations that a person who earn only P300,000 a year can NOT buy a property worth P14.5 Million..there are more properties Renato & Cristina Corona acquired beside this condo..Are those supporters of Arroyo & Corona camp “insane” or dumb in making simple calculation that even a grader pupil can do it..?
Folks (writers, commentators, Congress people, the rest of the Filipino people); Please read below about a glaring case of plunder and graft and corruption and thievery, yet unpunished. Now do you think this plunder case of Corona will hold? Do you think all these Senator-judges in the impeachment trial will cast their verdict according to what is the law and what is best for the country? How come these ill-gotten wealth stolen by famous people and generals (and their families) not confiscated, returned to the people? General Ligot and family, General Garcia and family, General Reyes and family, (now Corona and family). It looks Pnoy’s hands are full to care for a country where justice (and enforcement of law) has gone to the dogs.
MANILA, Philippines Feb 2011– Senator Franklin Drilon said Monday that he cannot explain why former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Jacinto Ligot has not been charged with plunder despite allegation that he amassed hundreds of millions of pesos worth of ill-gotten wealth while in the military.
He said an official of the Anti-Money Laundering Council told the Senate in may 2008 has personally delivered documents showing Ligot’s bank accounts to the office of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.
“That is a testimony under oath in the Senate. So why no case has been filed, I do not know. I do not think even a fact-finding investigation has been initiated,” he said.
Drilon said he remains stunned over the large amounts of public funds involving Ligot.
“Si General Ligot, 4 years from 2001-2005, a total of [US] $8,740,742 were deposited to his account, to his wife’s account, to his children and his brother in law, and P171 million. This is all based on bank documents,” he revealed.
He added that almost all of the money was withdrawn and only around P73 million was frozen.
“Kung titignan mo ang SALN [statements of assets and liabilities] ni General. Ligot… noong December 31, 2002 ang kanyang total assets po ay P3.198 million lamang ngunit ang kanyang dineposito noong 2002 sa kapangalan lang niya ay umaabot ng $1,288,418 and yet his cash and bank deposits is only P400,000,” Drilon said.
He added that Ligot’s income tax return for 2002 only showed a net taxable compensation income of P199,250. “And yet in 2002, there was a deposit of about $1,288,418.9 in AFPSLAI [Armed Forces of the Philippines Savings and Loan Association, Inc.] and Citibank. In Citibank, in a joint account between Jacinto and Erlinda Ligot, P20,225,095 was deposited.”
“Samakatwid po in 2002, Ligot deposited in his, his wife, his brother in law’s accounts over $2 million and P42.9 million and yet his ITR only indicated taxable of P199,000; his SALN only indicated P3.1 million,” Drilon said.
He compared Ligots’ mysterious sources of wealth to another military comptroller, Carlos Garcia. “Ganon din po si Garcia, the same pattern.”
“All of these things are really mind boggling. Where this money came from, we do not know. That is why we have taken our position strongly against any plea bargaining because of all these anomalies. The forfeiture case against Ligot only covers P135 million. The P740 million is not included here,” Drilon said.
“So all of these things must be explained to the public. Sana po dapat naman siguro may makulong dito para kunin tong mga amounts na nakikita natin na talagang di maipaliwanag kung saan nanggagaling-nanggaling sa conversion o suppliers. All of this, somebody must go to jail.”
Oh by the way. All that Corona needs to do—to win in the impeachment—is for him to invoke a very popular phrase from the Scriptures: He who is sinless (of corruption) may cast the first stone (on me). Anyone Senator sinless out there? Lapid? Jingoy? oh boy…
Pat Talens@ Corona cannot speak those words which Jesus alone can. Are you putting Jesus down the level of Corona? This GMA midnight appointee must resign, or else more of his past shenanigans will come out and put him and his family to shame, if he still has some decency left in his bloated ego. The Bellagio Condo is just the tip of the iceberg.
Hello Mr Cruz,
It seems you are missing my sarcasm and distrust of the justice system and impeachment processes in PI. I am with you, that Corona must be removed. My worry is the dysfunction (and too much politics) in the system. Remember the previous impeachments on Arroyo and Estrada—all wasteful exercises by Congress? So, I am compelled to bring sarcasm to bring light to what is wrong in the systems. Never my intent was to bring Jesus to the level of Corona. Never… Never!
Corona’s “delicadeza”? = NUNCA! – Garapal at Kasakiman – truly prevails in his “psyche”
SC-CJ “midnight appointment” = COLORUM! – Conspiracy Appt. as GMA’s “Chief Protector”
U.ST.- Ph.D.-”summa cum laude” = LUTONG – MAKAW – (2002-2011 w/o Dissertation) -
Ang mga Prayle at UST Board – “Bagsak na ang Reputation & Prestige for giving Corona
Honors he doesn’t deserve. UST has failed to uphold its standards. It’s adamantly UNFAIR
to other Ph.D. Grads and Students. (Sa’n ka naman nakakita ng Summa Cum Laude who
spent 11 years for a year course? —— HA-HA-HA……. “ONLY… in… UST!” – SOoo
frustrating! Para tayong “panahon pa ng Kastila!” This is a public betrayal; double standard!
A “treatise” is just like an exclamation point compared to a “real dissertation!” – Parehong
nakakahiya, si Corona at UST. Mahilig si Corona sa “karangalan:, eh!
Graft & Corruption – 20/20 – “Super Visible!” – GMA’s “PET” = MEGA TUTA on LEASH!
EVERY DAY, I PRAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT TO SUCCEED IN PURSUING ALL THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS & GET THEM NAILED FOR THEIR CRIME. AND FOR PNoY & HIS OFFICIALS TO BE GUIDED WITH GOD’S WISDOM towards “DAANG MATUWID” IN THEIR DAILY CONDUCT OF GOVERNANCE. God Bless the Philippines!
Sapagkat ang daan sa kabutihan ay makitid at mahirap tahakin; samantalang. ang daan sa kasamaan ay malawak at malaganap.
Wala tayong maipagli-lihim sa Panginoon. Nasa Diyos ang tunay na Katarungan at ang Katutuhanan.
sino ba ang tanga bibili ng penthouse condo tapos may diperensya, d ba dapat pang penhouse dapat first class lahat ng gamit at ng pagkakagawa ay pulido, puro palusot, lahat ng binili bargain, he he he