Corona, wife lose bid to reverse forfeiture case

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 11 years ago

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and former Chief Justice Renato Corona. SENATE POOL FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines—Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales denied the appeal of former Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife Cristina, paving the way for the filing of forfeiture case with the Sandiganbayan.

In a 15-page joint order signed Wednesday, Morales said they could not find any cogent reason to reverse the resolution dated Jan. 14, 2014.

Aside from forfeiture, Morales also ordered the filing of eight counts of perjury and eight counts of violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The January resolution stated that from 2001 to 2011, the spouses Corona earned a total income of P30,369,120.13, of which P27,145,472.68 was earned by Corona as an official at the Office of the President, a Justice of the Supreme Court, member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET), and member of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Meanwhile, Cristina Corona earned P3,223,647.45 for the period 2007-2010, based on the Alpha List submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) by the John Hay Development Corporation (JHDC) where Mrs. Corona was employed.

The Resolution stated that from 2002 to 2010, Corona’s actual cash deposits ballooned from P1,337,072.28 to P137,937,207.88, and by 2010 the cumulative discrepancy between his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) declaration and his actual cash deposits amounted to P134,437,207.88.

In sum, the Office of the Ombudsman determined that the Coronas’ unexplained wealth is at least P130,336,212.88, computed as follows:

The amount of P130,336,212.88 is a conservative estimate as it does not include their cost of living allowance commensurate to their social stature and expenses entailed by their travels abroad.

The Ombudsman also said that the Corona couple, in the sworn declarations in of statement of assets, liabilities and networth also failed to include numerous peso and dollar bank accounts in his 2003-2010 SALNs, a condominium unit at The Columns in Makati for his 2004-2009 SALN and a condominium unit at Spanish Bay Tower in Taguig in his 2005-2009 SALN.

Aside from forfeiture and perjury, the Ombudsman also ordered charging the Corona couple with 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.