Corona ‘moved’ $3.3M in 3 banks in Dec, says Ombudsman

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. SENATE POOL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Renato Corona has allegedly “moved” more than $3.3 million funds in three local banks in December 2011 alone, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said on Tuesday.

Testifying before the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, Morales said the total funds moved during the “impeachment week” from the three banks – Allied Bank Corp, Bank of the Philippine Island and Philippine Savings Bank – amounted to $3,388.323.14.

Corona was impeached at the House of Representatives on December 12, 2011.

“This is a conservative estimate of the total funds that were moved during the impeachment week,” Morales told the impeachment court.

On the day Corona was impeached, Morales said there was an encashment of $139,359.01 and purchased a manager’s check in the amount of $388, 771.22 the following day.

Also on December 13, Morales said Corona “subtracted” $12,888.67 from an account which was reflected as a debit memo.

The Ombudsman also mentioned a withdrawal of $343, 192.52 on December 16, purchased of manager’s check amounting to 478,998.09 on December 19, 2011 and debit memos amounting to $687,648.55 on December 20 of the same year.

“So the total remittance in December, outward remittance of 353,000 would give a total of $3,353,000,”Morales said.

Just days before the May 2007 elections, Morales also noted the bank deposits made to the accounts allegedly owned by the Chief Justice.

On May 3, 2007, Morales said five deposits made to the accounts of Corona at the Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) branch in San Francisco , Del Monte (SFDM) in Quezon City amounting to $27,039.80, $134,603.38, $63, 304.25,$53, $572.71 and $15,083.83.

During the May 2004 elections, the Ombudsman said a deposit of $500,000 was also made to a BPI branch in Acropolis in San Juan on May 12, and another $500,000 just two days after.