Corona: I have 5, not 45, pieces of property

Chief Justice Renato Corona. INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Chief Justice Renato Corona devoted a portion of his lengthy opening statement on Tuesday to confront the prosecution’s much-publicized allegation that he owned a total of 45 properties, many of which he purportedly omitted in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

Corona assailed Eulalio Diaz III, administrator of the Land Registration Authority (LRA), for coming out with the list, which was given to prosecutors, who later paraded it in press conferences even before the impeachment trial could commence.

He described Diaz as a “close friend” of President Benigno Aquino III, who has been openly campaigning for his removal. He said Diaz was also a nephew of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who are known Corona critics.

“The list he brought here was an exaggerated one and not true. But still, he released it to the media. That’s why people outside were thinking: Who is this person and why does he have 45 properties?” the Chief Justice testified.

“Even I was surprised. I haven’t met anyone in the Philippines with 45 properties.” Corona maintained that he owned only five properties and these were all declared in his SALNs.

The defense earlier presented evidence in court on the following properties: Units at The Bellagio and Bonifacio condominium units in Taguig City, The Columns in Makati City and Burgundy Plaza in Quezon City, and the Coronas’ residence at Xavierville Subdivision, also in Quezon City.

“What I am telling the people now and I am opening myself to you—I don’t have 45 properties,” Corona said. “I have only five and we have proven that already (during the trial) and everything is declared in my SALN.”

Corona also minced no words in dismissing a subsequent allegation that he owned properties in the United States. Without naming names, he particularly assailed the source of the allegation, apparently a blogger.

“The list of our alleged properties (in the United States), it’s as fake as the LRA list of 45 properties. It came from a fake writer masquerading as a journalist. It’s very clear that it was released simply to destroy reputation,” he said.

Corona said there should be no issue with his failure to declare the acquisition cost of his properties in his SALNs. Since the asset was already disclosed in the document, he said public documents pertaining to them could be checked with the registry of deeds.

Tax declaration reliable

“It’s something that I am not hiding because it’s a public document that can be checked anytime,” he said.

Corona said he declared the fair market values of his properties based on the tax declaration, not on current selling prices for a “consistent” and “reliable” basis.

If the current fair market price would be the basis, he said every government employee would have to tap an appraiser each time he files his SALN. In contrast, the assessment in the tax declaration is “adjusted periodically by the assessor in accordance with present realities.”

“So in good faith, I put the fair market value in the tax declaration because it’s more reliable than the actual selling price, which I do not know because I’m not selling (the property) anyway,” he explained.