MANILA, Philippines?Associate Justice Renato Corona has denied allegations that a litigant firm that earned a favorable decision from the Supreme Court funded his trip to the US in May 2009 to watch Manny Pacquiao fight Ricky Hatton.

Corona also scored lawyer Fernando Campos, who earlier told the Judicial and Bar Council of Corona?s alleged impropriety, for Campos? ?unusual effort? to dissociate Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio from the favorable ruling that Philweb Corporation got in its legal tussle with Inter-Petal Recreation Corp.

Campos has written the JBC to contest Corona?s nomination for the post of Chief Justice because the justice allegedly received a free trip to Las Vegas from Philweb to watch the Pacquiao-Hatton fight on May 3, 2009.

Campos said there was undue haste with which Corona decided the case.

?This is a vicious lie because I paid for my trip, using my own personal funds,? Corona said in his comment on Campos? complaint.

?Furthermore: first, the petition was patently and fatally defective on its face and there was no need for the court to require comment before dismissing it and second, since 2002, my wife and I have always used the May summer recess of the Court to visit our daughter and her family in the United States, with or without a Pacquiao fight,? he added.

Carpio and Corona are the most senior and second most senior associate justices of the Supreme Court. If the President follows the tradition of seniority among justices of the High Tribunal, Carpio and Corona would be the top choices.

Carpio has accepted the JBC?s request for him to be considered for the post after Chief Justice Reynato Puno retires on May 17.

He, however, gave the condition that his nomination should only be submitted to the next President because of a constitutional provision banning President Macapagal-Arroyo from making appointments 60 days before her term ends on June 30.

Corona has accepted the JBC consideration without any caveat.

Corona said the decision on the case of IPRC and Campos against Philweb was not his alone but was the Court?s.

?(Conclusions) of the Court in any case submitted to it for decision en banc or in division are reached in consultation,? Corona said.

?In this connection, the April 20, 2009 and July 8, 2009 resolutions in (the Philweb case) were not my decisions/resolutions alone, as Attorney Campos tries to make them appear,? he added.

Corona said all members of the Court?s First Division, including Carpio, unanimously approved them.

He said that Campos? claim that Carpio didn?t participate in the dismissal of the petition was a lie.

?Justice Carpio was in fact the one who presided over the First Division session on July 8, 2009,? Corona said.

Corona said Campos made an ?unusual effort? to dissociate Carpio from the Philweb decision while ?pinning him down? for the alleged impropriety.

?Why the special interest in pinning me down as ?sole author? of the assailed resolutions while readily absolving another member of the First Division who participated in the dismissal of (the case)?? Corona said.

Corona asked if a member of the First Division breached confidentiality and colluded with Campos in filing the complaint.

?Who breached the rule of confidentiality and colluded with Campos in filing this complaint against me? Was Campos? ?reliable source? a member of the First Division?? Corona said.

Corona, in ending his comment, had a few choice words for persons who like him have been in the running for the leadership of the Supreme Court but have been using foul means to get ahead.

?It is unfortunate that, in their quest to control the judiciary, some people have no qualms about destroying the reputation of those they perceive to be stumbling blocks to their ambition,? Corona said.