Evidence vs Corona ‘downloaded’ from uploaded information on impeach trial–complainant

MANILA, Philippines – The evidence used in the complaint filed against Chief Justice Renato Corona before Chief Justice Renato Corona were only “downloaded” from various websites that uploaded the information presented in the Senate, former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel said on Wednesday.

Hontiveros-Baraquel, was one of the complainants who filed a letter-complaint to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morale, on February 17, 2012.

She was presented as a “hostile witness” by Corona’s defense team.

“Dinownload po namin sa ibat ibang mga webistes kung saan po inupload matapos ihain ditto [We downloaded it from various websites that uploaded the evidence presented here,” said Hontiveros- Baraquel when asked by private defense lawyer Eduardo de Los Angeles where they got the evidence in the annexes of the complaint.

“Lahat po ay nanggaling na dito sa [Everything came from the] impeachment proceedings,” she added.

Hontiveros-Baraquel said the complaint made no mention of $10 million bank deposits that Corona had allegedly owned, which was admitted by the Ombudsman when she testified in the trial Monday.

She said the complaint only mentioned about the 18 alleged multimillion peso accounts at the Philippine Savings Bank and the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

Hontiveros-Baraquel said they left it up to the Ombudsman to look into the veracity of these bank accounts.