MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Renato Corona has allegedly accumulated an “unexplained” wealth of at least P10 million from 2006 to 2010, the prosecution team said on Thursday.
Based on the documents that the prosecutors provided to the media, Corona and his wife’s assets increased by P14.6 million from 2006 to 2010 when their combined income for the same period was only P4.6 million.
The Coronas’ combined income based on their income tax returns (ITR) was P355, 890.40 in 2006; P843, 583.26 in 2007; P1, 333, 967.71 in 2008; P1, 249, 173.57 in 2009; and P850, 256.25 in 2010 or a total of P4, 632, 871.19.
The annual increase in their assets based on the state of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) on the other hand was P1.2 million in 2006; P1.5 million in 2007; P1.5 million in 2008; P2.050 million in 2009; and P8.430 million in 2010 or a total increase of P10, 047, 128.81.
“There’s a variant of at least P10 million na hindi maipaliwanag kung papano tumaas ang kanyang assets sa kanyang SALN na hindi nasusuportahan ng sweldo nilang mag asawa,” said prosecution spokesman and Marikina Representative Romero Quimbo, who explained the data during a press conference in the Senate.
Quimbo noted that the P14.6 million increase in the couple’s assets was only based on their SALN because if the deeds of sale for three properties alone would be used as a basis, the actual increase could reach at least P27.2 million.
The three deeds of sale referred to two condominium units in Taguig City (Bellagio and Boni Ridge) and another unit in Columns in Makati City.
“In in terms of actual value based on the deeds of absolute, you see an unexplained increase in assets that cant be supported by income of P22 million just over the last five years,” said the spokesman.
Quimbo admitted however that they included in their comparison a property that was bought in 2004, which was not within the five-year period they used in their presentation.