Supreme Court spokesperson and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Supreme Court spokesperson Midas Marquez on Monday downplayed media reports that Chief Justice Renato Corona owned 31 guns.
Marquez likened the reports to the initial accusation from prosecutors who claimed that according to Land Registration Authority (LRA) records, Corona owned 45 properties but turned out that he had only “around 20 properties.”
“It’s as simple as that. I think many of those (guns) were owned by his father. The others were already sold,” Marquez told reporters.
He spoke with reporters after he and more than 100 Supreme Court employees, clad in red shirts, attended a Mass at the court lobby for the beleaguered Chief Justice as his impeachment trial resumed in the Senate Monday.
Corona and his wife also attended the Mass but refused to talk with reporters.
Media-hopping
Marquez lauded Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for saying that he would resign if Corona were treated shabbily by senator-judges if he decides to testify at his impeachment trial.
“But again, the decision whether or not the Chief Justice will testify as a witness will depend on the lawyers,” Marquez said.
Marquez also defended the Chief Justice from criticism after he gave interviews to several media outlets last week to reply to charges against him by the prosecution and relatives of his wife involved in a family feud over inheritance.
“We’ve been looking forward to hear him and now that he has come out, they (accuse) him of media-hopping. They can always say that but I think he has the right to say whatever he wants to say,” Marquez said.
Rebuttal evidence
On Monday, a spokesperson of the House prosecution panel announced it was considering calling to the witness stand Sr. Flory Basa, a 90-year-old nun, and niece Ana Basa, on the family problems and the alleged incident in which Corona pointed a gun to the head of an employee.
“That’s a door we’re not closing at this stage,” said Representative Juan Edgardo Angara.
Sister Flory, one of five Basa siblings and the only surviving original incorporator of Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI), has expressed her willingness to testify.
The aunt of Cristina Corona recently confirmed Ana’s story in the Philippine Daily Inquirer about the alleged oppression heaped on them by the Corona couple in taking over control of the family-owned BGEI.
The defense panel has identified the BGEI as the real owner of the P37 million that Corona withdrew from three Philippine Savings Bank time deposit accounts on Dec. 12, 2011, the day he was impeached, and his P11-million cash advance.
Angara also told reporters that another impeachment complaint would be filed on December 12 against Corona if he is acquitted.
“Some of the allegations would be the same and it is likely that tax evasion and his being an alleged protector of the Basa Guidote corporation would be included,” he said. With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade
Originally posted: 8:16 pm | Monday, March 12th, 2012