January Impeachment of Renato Corona

1 january

1.1 january 16
1.2 january 17
1.3 january 18
1.4 january 19
1.5 january 24
1.6 january 25
1.7 january 26
1.8 january 30
1.9 january 31

january
january 16

on morning of january 16, first day senate set receive prosecution , defense teams, corona stated in speech there no turning on impeachment trial. corona stated did nothing wrong president or people, did not steal anyone, , 45 properties included double entries, properties belonging wife , in-laws, , denied accusation world bank loan not responsibility. corona added there people acting in conspiracy remove him office: want prevent distribution of hacienda luisita, hacienda owned family of president aquino, farmer-beneficiaries, vice presidential candidate lost 2010 vice presidential election, , associate justice wants succeed him chief justice.

the trial started @ 2:10 p.m, senate president ponce enrile, presiding officer, calling senate order. 2 senators, miriam defensor santiago , loren legarda, absent on first day. niel tupas led public prosecutors in presenting themselves, followed private prosecutors, stated under complete control of public prosecutors. corona s defense presented themselves, defense chief serafin cuevas presenting corona @ gallery, , entered plea of not guilty on behalf of defendant.

majority floor leader tito sotto moved tackle defense s motion preliminary hearing. defense argued impeachment complaint fatally defective there defect in verification of 188 signatures. presiding officer prohibited tupas request allowing private prosecutor mario bautista argue in behalf of prosecution. tupas instead 1 argued prosecution, saying impeachment complaint passed according rules of house of representatives.

sotto moved tackle motion filed private lawyer fernando perito cite prosecution indirect contempt on press conference stating corona had ill-gotten wealth. presiding officer dismissed request, stating perido not party case. president officer requested parties refrain issuing statements relating case outside of impeachment court.

january 17

the senate threw out motion subpoena chief justice corona, wife , family vote of 14–6. initially, request decided upon senate president ponce enrile presiding officer contested senate minority leader alan peter cayetano citing there need compel them testify on allegations properties placed under names ill-gotten wealth. enrile, said such request forfeit right of self-incrimination , giving evidence under duress. meanwhile, motion of defense deny appearance of private prosecutors of prosecution denied, thereby prosecution s privilege retain use of private prosecutors.

however, senate approved subpoenas clerk of supreme court enriqueta esguerra-vidal , register of deeds , land assessors in cities of makati, marikina, pasay, parañaque, quezon city , taguig, alleged properties of corona found. senate compelled documents such statement of assets, liabilities , net worth, land titles , of such, presented impeachment court.

the trial postponed due prosecution s lack of preparation in presenting witnesses testify authenticity of documents presented. cavite representative elpidio barzaga present evidences on second article. counsel serafin cuevas said no notice given defense panel prepare on second article panel prepared on manner of complaint filed.

on same day, supreme court unanimously deferred decision on whether issue temporary restraining order (tro) or not stop impeachment trial. 5 petitions, headed former misamis oriental governor homobono adaza consolidated court , required senate comment on petitions within ten days. supreme court spokesperson jose midas marquez said court issue order @ time , or call oral arguments. furthers on matter senate , says process ongoing. petitions filed due alleged railroading of impeachment complaint against chief justice.

january 18

supreme court clerk of court enriqueta esguerra-vidal, turned on copies of statements of assets, liabilities , net worth (salns) of chief justice corona years 2002 2010 senate. after constant compelling of senator-judges , prosecutors. esguerra-vidal insisted given permission release said documents citing supreme court ruling dated on may 2, 1989; prohibits deceptive requests information regard release of salns of judiciary. senate president ponce enrile told had comply said subpoena , give said documents senate. supreme court spokesperson jose midas marquez later clerk not in legal hurdle corona authorized release of documents.

meanwhile, marianito dimaandal, head director of malacañang records office testified , said salns of chief justice corona 1992 2010 exist. custodian, dimanadal stated salns certified true copies , had attested authenticity. yet, later said position on veracity of contents of documents.

defense counsel cuevas asked senate remove second article of complaint. cuevas said fact alone there saln proof enough has filed , complied rules , regulation on matter, resolves problem. senate president ponce enrile clarified such release of salns response subpoena given clerk , doesn t overrule said article.

the following salns filed chief justice corona 2002 2010 assets declared during years:

january 19

the prosecution presented taguig–pateros register of deeds randy rutaquio. rutaquio presented certificate of title of condominium units @ bellagio worth 14.6 million pesos under names of renato , cristina corona, , deed of sale on megaworld property sold corona couple daughter ma. charina. under cross-examination, rutaquio said not present when certificate of title , deed of sale processed, although these ve gone through him passed through registration of sales.

senator alan peter cayetano asked prosecution if article ii on corona s non-disclosure of saln, , did not possess corona s saln when submitted complaint, how able come complaint; prosecutor elpidio barzaga said charges based on reports . senator francis escudero asked prosecutor niel tupas, jr. wrote complaints; tupas answered collaboration. escudero said confused since each article must correspond singular act, , asked both prosecution , defense submit legal memorandum on matter.

the impeachment court excused bureau of internal revenue (bir) commissioner kim henares not able bring corona s tax documents. prosecution presented quezon city acting register of deeds carlo alcantara. alcantata testified corona sold burgundy property daughter carla corona-castillo. defense counsel serafin cuevas told court cross-examine alcantara on next trial day study alcantara s submitted documents. prosecution presented marikina register of deeds sedfrey garcia told return on next trial day.

january 24

while defense submitted memorandum regarding article ii, prosecution failed submit theirs before trial began; presiding officer juan ponce enrile ordered prosecution pass before trial starts on next day. senator miriam defensor santiago, has been absent @ trial point, asked both prosecution , defense how many witness present entire trial. when tupas not give answer, santiago scolded prosecution, saying should not waste time of court. cuevas stated have 15 witnesses , on 20 documents present.

tupas asked enrile more liberal in allowing prosecution ask questions. enrile offended offered resign if cannot accept rulings. tupas said want flexibility listen witnesses. senator manny villar said while believes enrile handling trial well, can t please everyone. enrile approved santiago s motion asking both prosecution , defense exact number of witnesses present. santiago said court should more liberal in accepting evidence, after had happened in impeachment trial of joseph estrada prevented opening of second envelope.

january 25

enrile announced court allow presentation of evidence paragraphs 2.2 (nondisclosure of saln) , 2.3 (non-inclusion of properties in saln), not paragraph 2.4 (alleged ill-gotten wealth) of article ii. court allowed subpoena of income tax returns of corona couple. prosecution presented bir commissioner kim henares witness although enrile asked how testimony relevant case. in end, allowed testify although statement on corona s ill-gotten wealth disallowed. santiago scolded both prosecution , defense long debates.

private prosecutor arthur lim began direct examination of henares. prosecution presented alpha list , document submitted company listing employees, salary, , tax withheld. enrile allowed presentation of supreme court s alpha list. henares stated supreme court had not kept alpha list 2002 2005 , gave testimony on corona s income , taxes based on court alpha list 2006 , 2010 on corona not having income tax return. henares allowed present cristina corona s income tax return. testified mrs. corona one-time taxpayer property transaction on september 9, 2003. mrs. corona purchased property worth 11 million pesos although had no recorded income year.

lim asked if mrs. corona in other alpha lists. defense objected enrile allowed henares answer. testified mrs. corona in alpha list of camp john hay management corporation ceo , president. prosecution presented documents alleged corona properties in taguig, makati, , quezon city.

january 26

senator santiago asked prosecution on provisions of anti-graft , corrupt practices act charging corona with. arthur lim replied accusing corona of violating paragraphs (c), (e), , (f) of section 3 of law. santiago answered these provisions irrelevant in article ii, since accuses corona of not disclosing saln. said more appropriate law should have been code of conduct , ethical standards public officials , employees requires submission of saln.

the court prohibited parties release documents merely marked evidence, , cautioned discussion of contents of documents. comes income tax returns of coronas brandished on television , on internet. senator escudero asked court cover corona s acts chief justice since documents dated prior him becoming one. enrile replied senate decide on over caucus.

the prosecution continued direct examination on henares. said bir found out corona s daughter, ma. carla corona-castillo, able buy 18 million-peso property mother cristina despite having monthly taxable income of 8,478 pesos. lim asked henares mckinley hill property in taguig; replied corona daughter, ma. charina, bought property megaworld corporation. henares added charina never filed income tax return, , one-time taxpayer, mckinley hill transaction. on cross-examination, cuevas asked henares if secretary of finance told durugin mo na si corona (crush corona, if possible). replies replied no. senator arroyo said subsequent investigation of bir , impeachment trial can twin moves against coronas.

the senators asked more questions on henares. pangilinan questioned if bir overlooked other income sources coronas. replied bir exhausted efforts, including alpha lists. cayetano asked if there discrepancies corona s returns saln; henares answered corona failed fill acquisition cost column, , corona included properties on next year s saln instead of year purchased. henares said corona had 1 source of income.

several senators cautioned spokespersons when discussing merits of case outside court. enrile said may discuss procedure not content.

january 30

the senate secretary, acting clerk of court of senate sitting impeachment court, read resolution prohibiting presentation of evidence not related corona or family, court s decision not allow presentation of evidence corona s ill-gotten wealth.

enrile allowed prosecutors motion present witnesses , evidence on article iii instead of article , vii, earlier agreed upon. enrile allowed presentation in articles in following order: articles ii, iii, i, vii, iv, v , vi. tupas clarified won t present 100 witnesses earlier reported.

the prosecution presented megaworld corporation financial director giovanni ng witness; produced contract sell on corona s bellagio penthouse worth 14 million pesos, , deed of absolute sale of mckinley hills property charina corona, not disclosed in corona s 2009 saln. ng not able answer how price of bellagio penthouse; private prosecutor joseph joemar perez moved subpoena megaworld s senior vice president marketing on next hearing. senator aquilino pimentel iii asked perez on why prosecution focusing on cost of properties, answered ng told them corona s 40% discount worth 40 million pesos fell under article iii.

when asked senator jinggoy estrada if megaworld routinely sells properties discount, ng said company gives 15% discount buyers pay on shorter terms; corona given bigger discount since property needed repairs. ng, answering question senator franklin drilon, said charina corona received 2.3 million peso discount on mckinley hill property. chief justice asked company put property under daughter s name.

private prosecutor jose antonio hernandez next presented aniceto visnar, jr., formerly of fort bonifacio development corporation. visnar told court corona couple paid 9.1 million peso condominium unit in bonifacio ridge in 2005, contrary, prosecutors say, corona s saln states bought aforementioned property in 2004 worth 2.3 million pesos. in cross-examination, defense lawyer ramon esguerra said notice of acceptance bonifacio ridge property did not exist, , bisnar should unfamiliar property , whether or not corona s wife sourced money used pay unit loan.

january 31

noli hernandez, senior vice president of megaworld, testified bellagio tower purchased corona couple received steep reduction in price after typhoon struck property while being constructed; megaworld reduced price p24 million p19.6 million. senators asked connection between corona s purchase of property, , article ii of articles of impeachment; prosecutor elpidio barzaga replied corona s purchase of property not included in saln. senator sergio osmeña iii asked hernandez produce proof of damage, while senator francis pangilinan asked hernandez submit senate engineer s report.