Senate bars reading of ITR of Corona’s son-in-law at trial

MANILA, Philippines–The Senate sitting as an impeachment court did not allow the prosecution team on Monday to read on record the income tax returns filed by Chief Justice Renato Corona’s son-in-law from 2005 to 2010.

“What’s the purpose? For propaganda?”asked Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, who was presiding over the trial, when private prosecutor Arthur Lim tried to read the ITRs of Constantino Castillo III.

Castillo is the husband of Corona’s daughter, Carla, who allegedly bought a P18 million property in La Vista Quezon City from her parents in 2010.

The copy of Castillo’s ITRs from 2005 to 2010 was presented to the Senate by Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, who returned to the witness stand to continue her testimony.

Enrile allowed the submission of the documents but not the reading of the contents.

When Lim first attempted to read the contents, Enrile stopped him and asked the relevance of it to Article 2 of the impeachment complaint, which refers to Corona’s alleged failure to disclose his assets, liabilities and net worth.

Enrile warned that allowing the contents of the ITRs would mean proving paragraph 2.4 of the impeachment complaint pertaining to alleged ill-gotten wealth by the Chief Justice.

The Senate had already ruled against the inclusion of ill-gotten wealth allegation against Corona.