Witness declines to disclose Corona SALN

MANILA, Philippines—A witness in the impeachment trial has refused to disclose the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, citing a prohibition contained in an en banc resolution of the high tribunal.

“Your honor, in view of the resolution of the court en banc on May 2, 1989, I’m a restricted because it says here in one of the guidelines that all requests for SALN will have to file it with the Clerk of Court,” said Supreme Court Clerk of Court Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal when she took the witness stand on Wednesday.

“Whether or not it should be given will now depend on court,” Vidal said, responding to the questioning of lead private prosecutor Mario Bautista.

“Are you considering this subpoena a request?” asked Bautista.

“It’s an order for me to produce the SALN but then it partakes also a request for the SALN. I don’t have any discretion to decide for myself…,”said Vidal .

“It’s not within my competence. It’s within the competence of the court,” she added.

Vidal was the  first witness presented  by the prosecution team in relation to  Corona’s alleged failure to disclose  his SALN.

The allegation is contained in Article 2 of eight articles of impeachment filed by 18 members of the House of Representatives against Corona.

Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr., chief prosecutor, presented the first case against Corona immediately after the resumption of the trial at around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

Tupas, in his opening statement, also informed the Senate acting as an impeachment court that after Article 2, the prosecutors will immediately proceed with the presentation of evidence for Articles 1 and VII.

Article 1 refers to Corona’s alleged “partiality and subservience in cases involving the Arroyo administration from the time he was appointed as associate justice to the time of his midnight appointment as Chief Justice” while Article VII refers to the Chief Justice’s alleged “partiality in granting a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of Mrs. (Gloria) Arroyo and her husband, Miguel Arroyo, in order to give them an opportunity to escape prosecution…”