Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma: Continuation of impeachment. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The filing of perjury and nondeclaration of assets charges against ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife, Cristina, was “not political persecution” but a “logical continuation” of the impeachment trial that ended with Corona’s conviction on May 29, 2012, Malacañang said on Thursday.
“How can we call it a persecution when the basis is documentary evidence?” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma told a press briefing on Thursday.
Coloma said that the basis for the charges was not allegations made in the media.
“This is an action of an independent constitutional body that is the Ombudsman. We trust that this action was taken by the Ombudsman on the basis of objective gathering of information, and the case was filed based on concrete evidence,” he said.
Truth and justice
He said the public should welcome Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’ move to file a P130 million forfeiture case because this was “progress in the process of the search for truth and justice.”
“We all know that what triggered this is first, the impeachment (in the House) that led to the impeachment trial, and the impeachment trial that ended up in the conviction and ouster of the former Chief Justice. This was a logical continuation of the charges lodged in the Ombudsman, and the Ombudsman in turn scrutinized the documents and evidence offered to it,” Coloma said.
“The Ombudsman came up with a conclusion that there is sufficient evidence regarding alleged ill-gotten wealth, so the complaint was filed in the Sandiganbayan,” he said.
True cost
Morales alleged that Corona failed to include numerous peso and dollar bank accounts in his 2003-2010 SALNs, a condominium unit at The Columns in Makati in his 2004-2009 SALN, and a condominium unit at Spanish Bay Tower in Taguig in his 2005-2009 SALN.
Corona declared only P6.8 million as the acquisition cost of a condominium unit in Bellagio I in Taguig City in his 2010 SALN when the true acquisition cost was P14,510,000, the Ombudsman alleged.
In his SALNs from 2003 to 2009, Corona also allegedly undervalued the property at La Vista, Quezon City, by P8 million.
The Ombudsman resolution also stated that based on the Land Registration Authority records, several properties owned by the Coronas in Quezon City, Makati and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig were established to be undervalued by as much as P17,297,145.
Aside from forfeiture and perjury, Corona faces charges for alleged violation of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, for not filing his true and detailed SALN from 2003 to 2010.