Sandigan again resets Corona arraignment

Former Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

FORMER Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona again succeeded in deferring his arraignment set Tuesday before the Sandiganbayan for perjury and misconduct.

The antigraft court’s Third Division deferred the arraignment to April 5, while it tackles Corona’s second attempt to have the charges dismissed.

Corona was charged by the Ombudsman with perjury and violation of the code of conduct for public officials for allegedly not correctly declaring his assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), for which he was impeached in 2012.

Corona arrived with wife Cristina and two grown-up children for his scheduled arraignment on Tuesday.

But the court shortly announced it would postpone the arraignment since Corona filed a petition last week to quash the charges.

The former chief justice argued that the charges against him did not show he willfully omitted some assets, saying the SALN form said it contained truthful statements “to the best of his knowledge.”

The Sandiganbayan also deferred Corona’s arraignment originally set last Oct. 15 to rule on his appeal challenging the antigraft court’s decision that there was “probable cause” to try him.