Prosecution could tackle co-mingled funds, confidentiality of dollar accounts

Lead House prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. Photo by Matikas Santos

MANILA, Philippines—Lead prosecutor Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. on Friday hinted that the prosecution would tackle Chief Justice Renato Corona’s explanation of why he did not declare his $2.4 million worth of deposits in their closing arguments Monday next week.

Speaking to reporters after Day 42 of the impeachment trial at the Senate, the lawmaker reasoned out that the chief magistrate’s unconditional waiver to open all of his bank accounts was no longer necessary after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales presented an Anti-Money Laundering Council report on the alleged bank deposits to the impeachment court.

He stressed that the accounts have already been bared through the Ombudsman’s investigation and testimony.

Tupas said that the prosecution panel would take up, among other topics, Corona’s explanation of co-mingled funds from the sale of Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI) and belief that dollar accounts were absolutely confidential.

Corona’s admission of non-declaration of his dollar accounts was in itself, falls under Article 2 of the impeachment complaint and a violation of the Constitution because it was a betrayal of public trust, Tupas added.