Corona McKinley property ‘put under daughter’s name as afterthought’—prosecutor

MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution team on Monday said Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona had bought the McKinley Hill property and then placed it under the name of his daughter, Charina Corona, “as an afterthought.”

Marikina Representative Romero Quimbo said in a press conference that Corona had signed the reservation agreement document and paid for the property—developed by Megaworld—then placed it under Charina’s name through a hand-written request letter.

“Corona signed the reservation agreement, paid 27 times, as shown in the receipts, and then only after full payment did he request to place it under his daughter’s name,” Quimbo said, adding, “As if it was just an afterthought.”

Quimbo said his statements were based on the evidence presented by Giovanni Ng, finance director of Megaworld.

Defense team spokesman Tranquil Salvador III said in an earlier press briefing that Charina was abroad at the time of the purchase and that she designated her father as an attorney-in-fact to make the transaction.

Lawyer Karen Jimeno, also of the defense team, said that it was normal to have Corona’s name in the receipt because the receipt is named to whoever made the actual payment.

Quimbo said that if Charina was the one who bought the property, and not Corona himself, the defense team should show how she was sending money back to the Philippines since she was abroad.

Salvador said they plan to call Charina to testify if necessary to prove that the funds came from her.