Corona sets condition on opening of accounts

NOT SO FAST, SIR. Chief Justice Renato C. Corona on Tuesday delivering his opening statement at the Senate, acting as impeachment court. After his testimony, a commotion followed when he abruptly left the court without being dismissed. SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Renato Corona on Tuesday signed a waiver allowing the opening of his foreign currency deposits but on the condition that all 188 complainants from the prosecution also sign a blank waiver.

“I hereby authorize the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Land Registration Authority to disclose to public any and all info that may show my assets,” Corona said as he inked the document before the Senate.

Earlier in his testimony, Corona branded as “deception, exaggeration, misrepresentation and malicious lie” an allegation that he had at least $12 million deposits in 82 bank accounts.

He noted that report of the AMLC used by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales as basis for saying that he multi-million dollar bank deposits was not “authenticated.”

“This AMLAC report that the Ombudsman furnished the impeachment court is not authenticated,” he said.

“There’s no predicate crime, no investigation, no court order, no notice to depositor. Clearly, it came from a polluted source,” he added.

Corona said he then called a team of accountants to study the report that the Ombudsman presented and submitted to the Senate.

After studying the report, the Chief Justice said it was very clear that Carpio-Morales’ testimony was “one of deception, exaggeration and misrepresentation.”

However, Corona admitted that  he has four dollar bank accounts but did not declare these deposits in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) because of the  ‘confidentiality provision”  on all dollar accounts.

As of December 2011, Corona said his remaining banks  accounts were  one in   Bank of the Philippine Island (BP1) in  San Francisco del Monte in Quezon City,  one in Allied Bank and two in Philippine Savings Bank.

But Corona said the four dollar accounts did not contain either $10 million to $12 million as alleged by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

“There are only four, not 82” Corona said, pointing to the Ombudsman’s claim that he had 82 dollar account.

Corona also admitted having three peso bank accounts which he said he did not also declare in his SALN because it was a “co-mingled” fund from the proceeds of the sale of the Basa-Guidote Entrperise Inc (BGEI).