Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. SENATE POOL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Once is not enough, and likely tougher the second time around.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales announced Tuesday that she had furnished Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. with her fact-finding report on Chief Justice Renato Corona’s alleged unexplained wealth, hoping this could be used in initiating another impeachment complaint against the country’s top magistrate.
At least four personnel from the Office of the Ombudsman handed the report, consisting of voluminous documents, over to Belmonte at his Quezon City home on Friday afternoon, ahead of Morales’ appearance in the Senate impeachment trial of Corona for alleged dishonesty in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).
Belmonte told reporters that he brought the sealed report to the House of Representatives on Monday afternoon for official turnover, and only then did he open it, and asked Majority Leader Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales III to read its contents.
“I wasn’t that curious. I knew the proper place for this was here (Senate),” Belmonte said when asked why he did not take a look at the report. “I read the cover letter. Boyet read the report.”
Morales testified at the impeachment court on Monday afternoon and again Tuesday that Corona had kept $12 million in 82 dollar accounts in five banks, quoting documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
Belmonte and Gonzales believed the Ombudsman’s turnover of the report was for the possible filing of another impeachment complaint against Corona this year. Belmonte said he did not ask for such a report from Morales.
“Presumably, while the Ombudsman can’t file a criminal case, they can refer a case for the initiation of impeachment proceedings. Obviously, any impeachment starts at the House. That’s the only reason why this was turned over to the Speaker, who is the sole authority to initiate an impeachment proceeding, in the event the one-year ban is lifted,” Gonzales said.
There were details in the report that were not included in the current impeachment complaint, and could form the basis for the filing of another one, he said.
They referred reporters to ask Morales herself if she submitted the report to Belmonte so the House prosecutors would have an idea what she would testify on.
“The Speaker opted to keep quiet about it. Otherwise we might be preempting the Ombudsman,” Gonzales said.
Lifestyle check
The report summarized the salaries of Corona and his wife Cristina, and the wealth that the Chief Justice had purportedly accumulated over the years, including at least $10 million in foreign deposits and more than P200 million in peso accounts, based on documents from the AMLC and complaints of several individuals, Gonzales said.
“It was a sort of lifestyle check,” Gonzales said.
Belmonte and Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada maintained that the defense had presented testimonial and documentary evidence sufficient to convict Corona in his impeachment trial, and that Morales’ testimony the past two days only added evidence on his non-declaration of assets.
“I’m wondering why it’s the Chief Justice who’s asking for the resignation of the Ombudsman,” Gonzales said, referring to a statement by Corona that she should quit if she could not prove her charges against him. “The one who’s asking for it should be the first to resign.”
“No resignation. Tuloy ang laban (The fight goes on),” Corona told reporters after attending a novena Mass Tuesday for his acquittal amid text messages circulating averring that he was about to resign following Morales’ revelations in the Senate.
End game
If it is true that Corona kept $12 million in banks, Belmonte said: “He’s rich.”
“This is the endgame. I read somewhere that he’s going to take the stand in two days’ time,” the Speaker said.
“Maybe there’s another Renato Corona,” Belmonte said when asked if Corona could dispute the AMLC documents.
Gonzales butted in: “This could be from Basa-Guidote Enterprises.”
Tañada said the source of the Ombudsman’s information on Corona’s dollar accounts should not be an issue.
Senator-judges in Tuesday’s hearing raised questions on the AMLC’s providing the Ombudsman with information on Corona’s dollar accounts in view of bank secrecy laws and a provision in the AMLC law that this material can only be released with the consent of the depositor or in pursuance of a court order.
The AMLC tracks the movements of money in the banking system, from P500,000 above or its equivalent in dollars, Tañada said. “What we have now is that Corona has dollar deposits circulating in the banking system. The question is, is this declared in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth?”
Forfeiture proceedings
During Tuesday’s proceedings in the Senate, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago asked Morales if her investigation of the dollar account was for the initiation of another impeachment case against Corona in the next session of Congress if the Chief Justice is acquitted by the senators.
“If the charges presently being investigated by the Office of the Ombudsman are not included in the impeachment charges, then I don’t see any reason why there should be no chance to file another impeachment complaint,” Morales said.
“So we’re placing the defendant on notice that even if this court acquits him, he can expect a second impeachment complaint by December this year for that is what the law says—the Ombudsman cannot investigate unless it is for the sole and only purpose of filing a verified complaint for impeachment if warranted. You are so warned,” Santiago retorted, referring to Corona.
“Nothing will prevent the Ombudsman from filing forfeiture proceedings if warranted,” Morales shot back. With a report from Philip C. Tubeza