Arraignment on tax evasion case vs Corona postponed anew
Former Chief Justice Renato Corona. FILE PHOTO/SENATE POOL
MANILA, Philippines—The Court of Tax Appeals has rescheduled anew the arraignment on the tax evasion case against former Chief Justice Renato Corona to Aug. 27.
Corona’s counsel Atty. Reody Anthony Balisi told reporters that the tax court has yet to rule on the motion to quash they filed last May 28.
The motion to quash seeks for the dismissal of the case filed against him.
Balisi added that they also have a pending petition for review before the Department of Justice.
He said they argued that the information filed against Corona does not constitute an offense as stated under Rule 117 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Corona also filed a motion for reconsideration after the Tax Court’s 2nd division dismissed his bid to consolidate his tax case with the other tax cases filed against him pending in other divisions of the tax court.
Three tax cases against Corona are with CTA’s first division, two counts are with the 2nd division and three others are with the 3rd division.
Corona is facing a tax liability of P120.5 million for violation of Sections 255 (failure to file income tax return) and 254 (attempt to evade payment of taxes).
Based on the BIR complaint, Corona did not declare all his assets in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth.
Aside from the bank deposits, he also did not declare two real properties he acquired during his stint in government: a condominium unit at the Columns, along Ayala Avenue that he bought for P3.6 million in 2004 and a property in Fort Bonifacio that he bought for P9.16 million in 2005.
After examining Corona’s bank records and comparing it with his networth, Henares said they discovered a substantial disparity between the acquisition cost of the properties declared in his SALNs and the cost declared in the certificates authorizing registrations.
Corona was removed from office through impeachment in 2012.
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