Ombudsman returns to witness stand

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines— The Senate has resumed its  impeachment trial of  Chief Justice Renato Corona with Ombudsman  Conchita Carpio-Morales returning to the witness stand to continue her testimony on the multi-million dollar bank accounts that the chief magistrate had allegedly owned.

Seventeen senators, acting as  judges, were present in the trial that began a little past 2:00 in the afternoon on  Tuesday.

In her testimony Monday, Morales said that based on a report provided to her by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Corona owned 82 dollar accounts in five local banks and more than $12 million “fresh deposits.”

Morales said “fresh deposits” referred to accounts that “never moved” and “remained” in particular accounts.

The Ombudsman was presented by Corona’s camp as a “hostile” witness after she ordered an investigation into the alleged dollar bank accounts of the Chief Justice.