Sold properties remain in Corona wife’s name

MANILA, Philippines—The seven properties in Marikina with a total area of 1,700 square meters remained in the name of the wife of Chief Justice Renato Corona even after she sold them to a relative in 1990 for more than P500,000.

No less than Corona’s lead counsel, former Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas, pointed during the impeachment trial on Tuesday that the properties bought by Demetrio C. Vicente were still in the name of Cristina Corona.

Vicente, who said that Mrs. Corona is his first cousin, bought the properties in July 1990 for P509, 989.

“I noticed that the name of the registered owner appearing in here is still Maria Cristina Corona, married to Renato Corona…Bakit nasa pangalan pa ni Mrs. Corona? (Why it’s still in the name of Mrs Corona?)” Cuevas asked.

“Hindi ko po na-transfer sa pangalan ko ‘yong mga titulo (I wasn’t able to transfer the title in my name),” Vicente said.

Asked why he did not transfer the property title in his name, the witness said,  “Hindi na-rehistro sa pangalan ko dahil nawalan ako ng pera. Nagpagawa ako ng bahay. (It was never registered in my name because I ran out of money. I built a house).”

Asked again by Cuevas if Mrs. Corona still has control of the properties, the witness said, “Wala na ho s’yang pakialam dahil hindi na ‘yon sa kanya. Akin na na ‘yon dahil meron akong deed of sale. (She had nothing to do with it because that’s no longer hers. That’s mine already because I have a deed of sale)”

In fact, Vicente said he has been paying the real property tax for the said properties since he purchased it in 1990. He even presented to the Senate the receipts of his tax payments.

But in his cross-examination of the witness, private prosecutor Jose Justiniano presented a certification from the treasurer’s office of Marikina showing that for March 18, 2010, the official property tax was paid by Mrs. Corona.

“Ako po ang nagbabayad since 1990 noong makuha ko na ‘yong property (I’ve been paying it since 1990 when I acquired the property),” Vicente insisted.

But Justiniano pointed out another payment made on September 14, 2001 still by Mrs. Corona.

“Hindi pa nata-transfer sa pangalan ko ‘yan pero ako po ang nagbabayad (That has not yet been transferred in my name but I’m the one paying (the property tax),” said the witness.

The private prosecutor also showed a certification from a court in Makati dated February 21, 2012 stating that a certain Maria Beatrice Mantoya, who notarized the deed of sale of the seven properties, has never been commissioned as a notary public for the city.

Vicente said he was not aware of it, adding, “Ngayon ko lang nalaman yan. Pwede ko hong idemanda ‘yan. (It’s just now that I learned about that. Can I file charges against her?)”

Vicente said the Chief Justice and his wife were present when the deed of sale was notarized in Makati.