Defense witness Vicente draws more questions than answers, say prosecution

MANILA, Philippines—Rather than getting answers, more questions were raised on Tuesday on the ownership of several Marikina City properties under the name of Cristina Corona after the defense panel called to the witness stand a second cousin of Chief Justice Renato Corona who told the court that he owned the said parcels of land.

Spokespersons of the prosecution panel told reporters during a press briefing that calling Demetrio Vicente, a cousin of Corona, to the witness stand only drew more questions on who actually held ownership of the said properties.

“Imbes na magdala ng kalinawan, mas lumabo pa kung nailipat na ang titulo (Instead of shedding light, it has become more unclear whether the title was transferred). The title remains in Cristina Corona’s name—this brings us more questions than answers,” said prosecution spokesman and Marikina Representative Romero “Miro” Quimbo.

He pointed out the properties were still under the chief magistrate’s wife’s name in 1992 although the land were bought in 1990 and further questioned whether the deed of sale was genuine.

Another spokesperson for the prosecution, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, said they were also “a little bit curious as to [Vicente’s] narration of facts” since the witness told the impeachment court that he could not pay for the transfer tax but could not remember how much it was.

This was also where Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s question on whether Vicente had an heir became significant, the two spokespersons said. “Ang unang gagawin [at] dapat siguraduhin ay mailipat sa pangalan [niya]. May anak siya, pag-aawayan kung kanino mapupunta ang properties kapag mamatay siya,” Angara said.

Quimbo explained that although Vicente said he paid for the properties, “wala [siyang] karapatan [sa lupa] bagamat bayad na siya. In our country, title always determines ownership not possession. Possession does not ripen to ownership.”

Asked whether Vicente could have been duped into thinking he already owned the parcels of land, Angara said the situation could also lead to double sale of the properties since they were still under the name of Cristina. “Pwede ulit ibenta ni Mrs. Corona [as] there was no notation in the registry of deeds [of it being transferred to Vicente].”

“He [Vicente] does not know how much the transfer taxes [were] and did not establish the transfer of the properties. Mukhang nasa pag-aari pa rin nila [Coronas] ito,” said Quimbo, pointing out that 20 years passed but the properties have not been transferred.