NEWS UPDATE
March 8, 2012 (Thursday)
Corona To Bare All
Foreign Currency Accounts, SALN Details Will Be Disclosed In Trial
By REY G. PANALIGAN, HANNAH L. TORREGOZA, and ROLLY T. CARANDANG The Manila Bulletin, page 1
MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Renato C. Corona Wednesday expressed his willingness to face the impeachment court, disclose his foreign currency deposit, and explain every cent in his
statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) to prove that the charges against him are baseless.
He said that despite the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the opening of his foreign currency account, “I will open it in due time and the due time is next week.”
“I have always said there is no problem with my dollar deposit because I can explain it,” he said.
“Ako lang ang pwedeng magpaliwanag nun,” he said.
The Chief Justice expressed confidence that he would be acquitted by the Senate, sitting as impeachment court.
“I have solid evidence because it’s the truth that I will tell. There is no doubt about it because I have not done anything wrong,” he said.
He also stressed that he did not resign his post because he believes in the impartiality and integrity of the senators, sitting as jurors in his impeachment trial.
Corona’s defense lawyers start presenting their counter-evidence during the resumption of the impeachment proceedings on Monday.
Mrs. Corona To Testify
The defense panel will present Cristina Corona, the wife of the embattled Chief Justice, as one of its witnesses.
“We will present her as a witness for Chief Justice Renato Corona,” Cuevas told reporters after emerging from a meeting with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, together with the House prosecution panel.
Cuevas said Mrs. Corona is willing to take the witness stand and testify before her husband’s trial.
She will specifically testify in relation to the bank accounts of the Chief Justice which is stated in Article 2 of the impeachment complaint.
Breaking his silence since the start of the trial on the impeachment complaint filed against him, Corona, in an interview with GMA 7 television network, explicitly pointed to the Supreme Court’s decision on the Hacienda Luisita case as the main reason in the filing of the charges against him.
He said that with him out of the SC, Hacienda Luisita owners – the family and relatives of President Benigno S. Aquino III – could press for the payment of P10 billion as just compensation for the land that would be distributed to farmer beneficiaries. He said that he opposed the P10-billion payment.
Corona said he and his family decided to withdraw the more than P30 million from three accounts with the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) Katipunan branch because they lost trust in the bank after learning that its officials were giving away information on his accounts. The withdrawal on December 12, 2011, the day he was impeached by the House, was only coincidental.
“We lost our trust in the bank. We believed the leak came from the bank,” Corona said in the television interview.
Corona said that as early as November last year, he had heard that the bank had been giving away information on his accounts.
Leaked Denied
But PSBank Katipunan branch manager Annabelle Tiongson denied the bank leaked the Corona documents when she took the witness’ stand during the impeachment trial.
There were talks that the family of Tiongson and that of Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., lead House prosecutor, are close friends, an allegation denied by the bank official.
“Faced with a situation like that, hindi mo ba iwi-withdraw ang pera mo?” Corona asked.
Corona explained that the money withdrawn from three PSBank accounts did not belong to him but to his wife’s family firm, the Basa-Guidote Enterprises, Inc. (BGEI).
Asked about the P11 million in loan he obtained from BGEI, Corona said it has been totally paid.
He also said some members of his wife’s relatives have been filing cases against him, first when he was still a private law practitioner, then when he joined the government during the time of former President Fidel V. Ramos, and when he was appointed to the SC, and when he was named Chief Justice.
The intramurals in BGEI has been there for more than 30 years, he said.
“Yong sinasabi ni Anna Basa, pinsang buo ng aking asawa, matagal na away na ‘yan… 30 years in the running. Tatlong kaso yan sa RTC Manila. Hindi sila stockholder ng korporasyon at nakuha na nila ang share nila,” he said.
On his willingness to appear and testify before the impeachment trial, Corona said “I am willing to testify but everything will still depend on my lawyers.”
He said he will wait for the advice of his defense lawyers led by retired Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas.
Fighting For Rule Of Law
The Chief Justice also reiterated that his battle in the ongoing impeachment trial is not for himself but for the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, stressing that checks and balances among three branches of government will be gone once President Benigno S. Aquino III is allowed to choose his own chief magistrate.
In a live interview with GMA 7’s Arnold Clavio Wednesday morning, Corona claimed that the Hacienda Luisita issue and the desire to control the judiciary are the main reasons some quarters want him removed as Chief Justice.
Corona said that once he is removed, there will be no more checks and balances and the President will have full control over executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.
But he expressed confidence he will be acquitted by the impeachment court, stressing that he had committed no wrongdoings while serving the government.
“I believe in the impartiality and fairness of the Senate impeachment court, the reason I submitted myself to the impeachment proceedings, said Corona adding he would have resigned beforehand if he does not trust the impeachment court.
Corona also expressed his willingness to appear and testify in the impeachment court. However, his appearance in the Senate trial will depend on the decision of his legal counsel.
Sereno Dissenting Opinion
On Justice Ma. Lourdes P. Sereno’s dissenting opinion on the issuance of a temporary restraining order on the watch list order (WLO) issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which Justice Secretary Leila de Lima testified to before the impeachment trial, Corona said:
“It’s only now that I heard of losing opinion given much weight…,” he said in Filipino.
Quoting Sereno’s dissenting opinion, De Lima told the impeachment court there were irregularities in the issuance of the TRO against the DOJ’s WLO.
Had Sereno testified, Corona said he would prove she was lying.
On allegation that he has a mistress and children out of wedlock, Corona said: “One and only ko po si Mrs. Corona.”
“More of amusement ang reaction ko na may kasamang inis, kasi hindi talaga totoo na may babae akong Brazilian model pa. Hindi tayo mahilig dyan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rep. Neil Tupas Jr., chief prosecutor, said the TV interview of Corona has convinced the 11-man House prosecution panel that it has strong evidence to pin him down.
Tupas said chief magistrate might have felt that there was a strong case against him when he decided to be interviewed by a TV network. (With a report from Charissa M. Luci)
Recycling Plant Padlocked
By FREDDIE C. VELEZ The Manila Bulletin, page 1
GUIGUINTO, Bulacan – A tire pyrolysis plant here denounced by residents for pollution has been
closed down for violating environmental laws.
Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado and a team from the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) in Region 3 led by Regional Director Lormelyn E. Claudio served the cease-and-desist order to the
Bio-Eco Solution Technology Inc. after it was found that the plant had violated provisions of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System Law (PD1686), Clean Air Act (Ra 8749), Clean Water Act (RA 9275), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003) and Toxic, Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Act (RA 6969).
Claudio said her office had earlier served a notice of violation on John Ang, Bio-Eco operations manager, for conducting testing operations without securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), Permit To Operate and Discharge Permit (DP).
But residents near the plant complained that the plant continued to operate despite the notice.
The EMB team said the plant is in a mixed industrial, commercial and residential area.
Alvarado, Claudio and Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office chief Rustico de Belen witnessed the serving of the order which was received by security guard Romeo Franscisco in the presence of the company’s lawyers.
Alvarado and Claudio later posted a notice at the plant’s gate stating that the plant and its facilities is closed.
“We have explained to the owners that they should have stopped their testing operations but residents said that they continue to operate. The noxious smell and smoke continue to this day,”
Claudio said.
Alvarado said the provincial government and DENR officials will discuss legal measures to see to it that the plant remains padlocked.
No New Taxes For Now
By MADEL R. SABATER and BEN ROSARIO The Manila Bulletin, page 1
]
MANILA, Philippines — The public can heave a sigh of relief after Malacañang assured Wednesday that there will be no new taxes that will be imposed for now Malacañang gave the assurance after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended that the Philippine government should impose new taxes to sustain the country’s medium-term growth.
But presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing that the Palace remains firm that no new taxes will be imposed for now except for the sin tax reform bill and the fiscal incentives bill.
He said what the government is focusing on right now is improving tax collection efficiency and plugging the leakages.
“In fact, I think even the IMF-World Bank study said that 4 percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) goes to those leakages so we need to plug them and that’s our thrust right now,” Lacierda said. “So far, the position of the government, the position of the President as recommended by the Department of Finance (DOF) is that we continue improving the tax collection efficiency as well as plugging the leakages.”
Lacierda said that the sin tax reform measure as well as the fiscal incentives bill “will go a long way”
in improving the tax collection system.
This developed as governors from tobacco-growing provinces ganged up on Ilocos Sur Governor Luis
“Chavit” Singson for favoring a unitary excise tax system that provincial leaders claimed would cast a heavy burden on tobacco farmers.
But Ilocos Sur Rep. Luis Ryan Singson said that his father, Gov. Singson, will meet the Northern Luzon Alliance (NLA), an organization of congressmen representing Regions I and II, to explain his decision to support the much-criticized House Bill (HB) 5727.
Gov. Singson’s position in supporting the bill appeared unacceptable to fellow governors in Regions I and II.
“It is unfortunate that Governors Umali and Singson made that statement considering that they come from tobacco-growing provinces and have tobacco farmers as their constituents, not to mention that their provinces are recipients of funding from their share of tobacco tax collections,”
said Ilocos Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos.
Resolutions Of Int'l Conventions Adopted
By MARIO B CASAYURAN The Manila Bulletin, page 6
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate adopted Wednesday on second and final reading two resolutions concurring in the ratification of two international conventions.
The first one seeks to provide greater protection to Filipinos abroad from international armed conflicts. The other seeks to ensure a more humane treatment for prisoners in the country.
The 23-member Senate voting on the two resolutions was 22-0-0.
Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate foreign relations committee, said Senate Resolution No. 663, concurs in the ratification of Protocol I of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts, adopts humanitarian standards to present-day realities and protects persons who are not or no longer taking a direct part in
international hostilities.
On the other hand, Senate Resolution No. 664 which concurs in the ratification of the Protocol against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) aims to help national government in improving jail conditions in the country’s penal system, she said.
The concurrence of the two resolutions reaffirms the Philippines’ commitment to promote and support basic human rights, Legarda said.
‘’The ratification of Protocol I is a vital instrument that strengthens the protection of victims of international conflict as it places limits on the way wars are fought. This measure effectively extends protection to overseas Filipinos who may be caught in the middle of such conflicts,” she said.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the approval of the two resolutions would provide the civilian population ample protection from the direct effects of hostilities abroad and improve the deplorable conditions of the country’s penal systems, respectively.
“Our country will benefit from any assistance that the international protocol will offer, such as advisories, technical and financial assistance in addressing institutional problems,” Enrile said.
Legarda said Protocol I would make sure that Filipinos, who are on peacekeeping missions or any other similar military operations abroad, will immediately receive medical attention should
Philippines Economic Freedom Ranking Up
By ROY C. MABASA
The Manila Bulletin, page 6
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ world ranking in the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom issued recently by the Heritage Foundation (HF) rose to 107th, eight notches higher from last year’s ranking of 115th.
At the same time, the Philippines garnered an Economic Freedom Score (EFC) of 57.1 this year, an improvement from the country’s previous EFC of 56.2.
“This is a clear validation of the policy reforms that the President has put in place to move the country forward and uplift the lives of our people," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said in a statement.
of Economic Freedom highlights 10 economic freedoms, namely, property rights, freedom from corruption, fiscal freedom, government spending, business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, trade freedom, investment freedom, and financial freedom.
The Heritage Foundation is a ”think thank” whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, and a strong national defense.
“We hope that this development will encourage more economic activities in the country, including foreign investments that would translate to more jobs for our people,” Del Rosario stated.
The Heritage Foundation reported that the Philippine economy “has been on a steady path of economic expansion.”
The Philippines’ 2012 score is 0.9 points higher than in 2011, which constitutes a significant improvement in business freedom. The Philippines ranked 19th out of 41 countries in the Asia- Pacific region, surpassing other emerging economies such as Indonesia, India, China, and Vietnam.
H.D.O. Vs 5 Ex-PCGG Officials
By SHIANEE MAMANGLU The Manila Bulletin, page 6
MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan First division has issued a hold-departure order against five former officials of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) who were recently charged with graft for allegedly violating procurement rules.
Covered by the one-page order issued last March 1 were former PCGG Chairman Camilo Sabio, and Commissioners Ricardo Abcede, Tereso Javier, Nicarno Conti and Narciso Nario, a retired member of the five-division graft court. Copies of the order have been distributed to all parties concerned last March 6.
With the HDO, the ex-PCGG officials are now barred from leaving the country due to a case pending against them at the said court.
The graft case involving top officials of the PCGG stemmed from the allegation that there was no public bidding made in the lease of P12 million worth of vehicles.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, in a resolution issued last February 15, said the PCGG had resorted to alternative modes of procurement instead of going through competitive public bidding.
Court records show that the PCGG had leased five vehicles from UCPB Leasing and Finance Corp. in 2007 and six vehicles in 2009.
“Certainly, the circumstances surrounding the lease of the vehicles in question indubitably show that the complained transaction is outside the ambit of extraordinary situations contemplated by the procurement law and the PCGG charter,’’ the Ombudsman said.
In their defense, the PCGG said it already recovered P48-billion and that there was no injury to the government in the transactions.
They argued that the complaint was only “meant to harass and malign them’’ and that the indictment had prejudiced them.
The Ombudsman said that although there were no irregularities found by the resident auditor in the lease and even if the procurement was covered by the national budget, the lease contract of the vehicles still defied procurement rules.
Balikatan Exercises Set To Return
By ROY C. MABASA
The Manila Bulletin, page 6
MANILA, Philippines — The United States Embassy in Manila announced Wednesday the return of the Balikatan combined military exercise to the Philippines which will run April 16-27.
"I’m delighted to announce the United States’ participation in the 28th exercise of Balikatan," US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. said in a press statement issued yesterday. "The longevity of this bilateral exercise speaks of the health of our alliance as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder, next to our Philippine allies."
"This exercise will build meaningful relationships not only between our militaries, but also among communities and first responders,” Thomas added.
According to the US envoy, about 4,500 members of the Armed Forces from the US Pacific Command and 2,300 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel from all services are planned to
participate in the exercise.
Ambassador Thomas explained that the training will consist of a computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX), multiple field training exercises (FTX), and medical, veterinary, and engineering humanitarian and civic assistance (HCA) projects.
However, he pointed out that this year's exercise is unique in that it is the first time that Balikatan will include multilateral engagement: an additional 20 participants from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and 15 colleagues from partner-nations plan to contribute to the CPX. In addition, 385 local health professionals will support the HCA activities.
Women Workers Still Mostly Underpaid
By SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA
The Manila Bulletin, page 6
MANILA, Philippines — At least 70 percent of women worldwide still work as underpaid laborers in rural areas, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said.
ILO Gender Bureau Director Jane Hodges made the statement yesterday in line with the commemoration of the International Women’s Day today.
She said most of the women work in jobs like agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and livestock, where they still paid 25 percent lower compared to male workers because of restrictive cultural beliefs in rural areas.
Among the beliefs are that women must be confined to domestic tasks like cooking, cleaning, and looking after children and that they are less able in managing finances.
There is also the notion that women should be subservient to men and that they should be banned from having any property and inheritance rights.
“The problem is that much of the work they do is not valued and remunerated accordingly. In fact, most rural women are unpaid family members. This not only lowers their labor income but also is likely to increase their stress and fatigue,” Hodges said.
In the Philippines, the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) said in its 2010 statistic that most of the country’s female laborers are unskilled and working in whole sale industry.
Corona: Ana Basa’s claims big lies, part of Carpio plot
By Cynthia D. Balana, Marlon Ramos Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 1
Impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona on Wednesday came out firing at his critics, claiming the accusations leveled against him and his family by his wife’s cousin, Ana Basa, were “big lies.”
In his first media interview since his impeachment trial in the Senate began on January 16, Corona said the lies were part of a “professional hatchet job” being carried out by the law firm of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.
The prosecution said it might consider presenting Ana Basa and her aunt, Sister Flory (one of the five original BGEI stockholders), if necessary, in its rebuttal to the defense of Corona when the Senate impeachment court resumes trial on March 12.
Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. said the two-part Q & A interview with Ana Basa which detailed how Corona and his wife oppressed other members of the Basa clan, “strikes at the very character of Chief Justice Corona.” (The interview appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on March
6 and March 7.)
Corona said he was just dragged into the ownership dispute over Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc.
(BGEI), a company owned by the family of his wife Cristina, since he was an in-law and his wife’s former lawyer.
Dark side
Tupas said the interview presented the dark side of the Chief Justice that the public did not know—
his lack of integrity—as alleged in the impeachment complaint.
“It clearly shows Corona’s lack of integrity. It will also shed light on the Basa-Guidote issue. The prosecution will discuss if we will include Ana’s testimony as well as Sister Flory’s in rebuttal if necessary,” Tupas said.
In the two-part Q & A, Ana Basa said Cristina seized control of the rental income from a company property in Manila and of the P34-million proceeds from the sale of the property to the city government although she was only entitled to a 10-percent share of BGEI.
Armed men
Ana also claimed that the Corona couple sent armed men to harass her parents at home and make phone calls in the middle of the night after her father, Jose Ma. Basa III, filed a criminal case against Cristina for allegedly misappropriating rentals due BGEI.
Corona allegedly put a gun to the head of the family caretaker and threatened to kill the latter, she said. Ana, who is in casino business in Las Vegas, Nevada, is in the country to visit her aunt Flory, who just turned 90.
Hacienda Luisita
The Chief Justice also insisted that the impeachment complaint filed against him by the President’s
allies in the House of Representatives was linked to the high court’s decision to dismantle the 4,915- hectare hacienda.
He disclosed that the Cojuangco-owned HLI wanted a P10-billion compensation from the
government before the agricultural estate could be distributed to the 6,296 registered farmworker- beneficiaries.
“I was the one who blocked that and for them to get that amount, they would have to … remove me.
That’s the truth. That’s the root cause of this impeachment,” he said.
“If you will ask me now why they want me out, I think it’s because I blocked that demand for a P10- billion compensation for Hacienda Luisita.”
“I owe it to the people to explain that this is a big lie,” Corona said in an interview with Arnold Clavio, host of the GMA 7 morning show “Unang Hirit.”
“I’m not directly involved in this problem. This feud among the members of my wife’s family started a long time ago. It’s about 30 years in the running,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“That Ana Basa and (her parents) were not stockholders of the corporation. But they are still insisting that they *still+ are (even if) they already got their share,” the Chief Justice said.
Corona vehemently denied that he put a gun to the head of a BGEI watchman and threatened to kill him, saying he was not known to be a hot-headed person. [The caretaker, Pedro Aguilon, had issued an affidavit about the gun-poking incident that took place on Jan. 2, 1997.]
“That incident did not happen. Those who know me personally for years would tell you that I’m not that kind of person,” Corona said in a separate radio interview with dzBB anchor Mike Enriquez.
‘Media hopping’
After keeping mum on the issues raised against him by the prosecution panel in his impeachment trial, Corona said he decided to speak with the media after meeting with his defense lawyers on Tuesday.
A member of the Corona camp said the Chief Justice’s visit to GMA 7 on Wednesday was a start of his “media hopping” to “friendly” media companies.
“You cannot blame the Chief Justice because he had been wanting to speak up since Day One. He’s just trying to defend himself and his family,” the source, who asked not to be named, told the Inquirer.
Reiterating his claim of innocence, Corona said he was ready to explain his wealth and counter the allegations that he had amassed ill-gotten wealth.
“I will give an adequate explanation for each centavo that came in and went out,” he said.
Corona also took exception to what he described as “black propaganda” intended to portray him as a crooked public official who used his position to enrich himself and his family.
The Chief Justice insisted that he was able to acquire some of his properties from the money he earned as “a top executive in the private sector.”
“Those who are out to destroy me had been spreading those stories. But that’s one thing that I wanted to explain since the beginning,” he said.
“They are trying to picture me as if I had nothing when I entered government. That’s not true
because I was a top executive in the private sector for half of my entire career. So, I was able to save.
And just like my wife, I also didn’t come from an ordinary family.”
Coronas hurting
While maintaining a fighting stance, Corona acknowledged that he and his family were hurt by the allegations hurled against them.
“We’re just humans. We’ve been receiving all kinds of insults. There were also name-calling. We’re all hurt by these attacks. Who wouldn’t be? These are all baseless and lies,” he said.
Corona said the attacks were part of a demolition job. “It’s very obvious that a professional group has been doing this to us.”
When Clavio asked him about his relationship with Carpio, Corona said it was “OK” and that he would occasionally speak with him during the deliberations of the Supreme Court en banc.
But when the host asked him if he thought Carpio could be responsible for the purported demolition job against him, Corona smiled and said: “What do you want to hear? We cannot ignore that
because he had also been aspiring to be a Chief Justice.”
“What I know is that his partners in his law office are the ones making the moves.”
Asked if Carpio’s law partners were behind the attacks against him, Corona said: “Siguro (Maybe).”
Sister Flory Basa shocked why Cristina Corona says she owns the company
By Chona Yu, Fe Zamora, Radyo Inquirer, page 1
The last time Sister Flory Basa saw her niece, Cristina Corona, the wife of Chief Justice Renato Corona, was while the latter was in the process of filing a libel suit against the now 90-year-old nun and three other relatives.
That was in 1995. The libel suit was Cristina’s counter to an estafa complaint filed by her older kin who also caused the publication of a notice to that effect.
Today, Sister Flory said she continues to pray “for her (Cristina’s) enlightenment because I heard she has not been doing the right things anymore.”
Sister Flory confirmed the statements that Ana gave in the two-part series that appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary was interviewed by phone on Wednesday by Radyo Inquirer from St. Joseph Convent in Cavite province, where she is based.
“We are just a little family praying together. We don’t want to get involved in the impeachment, but Cristina is a member of our family,” she added.
Sister Flory is one of the original stockholders of the Basa-Guidote Enterprise Inc. (BGEI), a family- owned corporation that manages several properties located in Legarda, Manila.
Other stockholders include the nun’s sister, Asuncion Basa-Roco, the mother of Cristina, and a brother, Jose Maria Basa III, the father of Ana Basa.
In an interview, Ana Basa said the family only learned about the financial status of the BGEI in the course of the ongoing impeachment trial of the chief justice.
In explaining his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Corona had explained that the P11-million liability he reported in his SALN was a loan from the BGEI.
He also said the P32.6 million he withdrew from the Philippine Savings Bank on Dec. 12, 2011, the day he was impeached, actually belonged to BGEI.
The US-based Ana is in Manila to visit her aunt.
“What happened here is that we were really shocked when Cristina said that she owns the whole company. That was our inheritance, and it has not been subdivided. We were surprised to learn that the buildings had been demolished,” she said.
“I do not know why Cristina is making such claims—that she owns the company. Maybe, she was asked by her mother (Asuncion) to look after the property, because at that time, Atty. Vicente Roco (Cristina’s father) was sick,” Basa continued.
Love each other
As far as Sister Flory can remember, the corporation was formed after the Basa-Guidote patriarch’s death. “We thought of forming a corporation instead of dividing the property,” she said.
The nine siblings, she said, did not quarrel over the property even after their mother’s death. “We were raised by our mother to love each other,” she said.
“In fact, we do not want to talk about this (feud over the property),” she added.
When her niece Ana came to visit, “we talked about pleasant things, like any family,” Sister Flory said.
She said she harbored no grudge against Cristina and her husband.
“If they want to visit me, they are welcome. I do not know how to contact them. I want to talk about happy moments,” she said.
“I have been a nun for 65 years. I have silver hair and a silver face. Pero hindi pa naman ako ulyanin (but I am not yet senile),” she said.
Expected reply
Ana Basa said Corona’s reply was “expected.”
“Siyempre, nabigla siya (Of course he was shocked). Of course, that is expected, that they will deny it and we expected that. Alangan namang aminin niya(You expect them to admit it)?” Ana told the Inquirer in an interview.
She said it was the Coronas’ right to give their side. “I’m not here to hurt anybody. We only wanted the truth to come out you know, and to get justice for everyone in the family.”
Truth is best defense
Ana said she expected the Corona couple to file a libel case against practically anyone who had hurt
them. She stressed, “Your best defense is the truth.”
Ana said her aunt, Sister Flory Basa, was very happy to learn that the truth had finally come out upon reading the two-part Q & A in the Inquirer.
She described Sister Flory to be still in “very good health, with excellent memory.” She refused to comment any further to the Corona attacks.
Basa, Sister Flory to testify?
Representative Niel Tupas Jr. said he welcomed the possibility of the defense presenting the Corona couple on the witness stand to answer all the allegations against them, including the ones hurled by Ana Basa.
Representative Romero Quimbo, the prosecution’s spokesperson, said in a press conference that there had been a talk among members of the prosecution on the possibility of presenting Ana, Sister Flory and even Supreme Court Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno in its rebuttal to the defense should it finally decide to present the Corona couple on the witness stand.
Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara said Ana’s revelations reinforced what the prosecution said from the first day of the impeachment trial that Corona, while maybe intellectually competent, did not possess the other requisites like integrity and probity required by the Constitution. With reports from Cynthia D. Balana and Marlon Ramos
Cristina Corona, 6 lawmakers to take the stand
By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 1
Defense lawyers will present as witnesses no less than the wife of Chief Justice Renato Corona and six members of the House of Representatives when the panel begins its presentation for Corona’s acquittal before the Senate impeachment court next week.
But the lead defense counsel, Serafin Cuevas, on Wednesday said the decision to allow Corona himself to take the witness stand would “depend on the necessity.”
“If there’s no reason to present Chief Justice Corona, if there would be no subject for his testimony, why would we present him?” Cuevas said in an ambush interview at the Senate.
“Justice Corona didn’t become a justice for nothing. He’s a man reared up in an environment of hostility and adversity so we will see. It’s not a matter of me wanting him to testify or not,” he added.
But Cuevas was categorical when it came to Corona’s wife Cristina.
“Mrs. Corona, definitely, we’ll be presenting her,” he told reporters, to testify on the couple’s bank records and the Chief Justice’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).
Cuevas said among the six representatives likely to testify were Hermilando Mandanas, Tobias Tiangco and Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla.
On January 31, the defense panel submitted a 29-page “compliance” listing its witnesses and documents for the trial.
It listed the testimonial evidence of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Representative Niel Tupas Jr., the lead House prosecutor, on its preliminary objection that the impeachment proceedings at the chamber had violated the constitutional right to due process of the respondent.
Belmonte and Tupas were to “testify on their statements regarding the circumstances and events that transpired on Dec. 12, 2011, which led to the impeachment of CJ Corona.” Also on the list were Remulla, Mandanas and Tiangco, who all refused to sign the complaint.
Mandanas, an erstwhile member of President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party who was later booted out as chairman of the powerful ways and means committee, on Wednesday said he would testify if subpoenaed.
Parliamentary courtesy
Tupas said House prosecutors would not keep individual congressmen from testifying if they wish to.
“That is out of the hands of the House of Representatives if they are willing to testify,” he told reporters at the Senate.
But in the case of House prosecutors like him and Representative Rodolfo Fariñas, Tupas said his panel would not testify and would instead invoke the principle of “interparliamentary courtesy.”
Fariñas said he would testify if allowed by Tupas, who said Representative Romero Quimbo, a spokesperson for the prosecution, was also on the defense’s list of witnesses.
“We are not afraid (to testify). But what is the reason we should take the stand? We have nothing substantial to say,” Fariñas said.
“Based on his TV interviews, he expressed his willingness to show his dollar accounts. It will facilitate the trial since he is being asked to account for his actions as Chief Justice, so it makes sense for him to defend himself and address the accusations head-on,” said Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, a prosecution spokesperson.
At a caucus on Tuesday, senator-judges ruled to accept the evidence offered by prosecutors for the second impeachment article, which alleged that Corona had failed to publicly declare truthfully his SALNs.
The records showed that the Chief Justice, who is charged with betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, kept millions in several peso accounts that he did not disclose in his SALNs.
“We are still considering our options. But for now we will just file our comments/objections and reiterate the reasons why bank records cannot be admitted by the court,” said a defense lawyer, Tranquil Salvador III.
Having watched Corona’s interview with GMA 7 on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Corona “will dig himself into a deeper hole” if he is put on the witness stand.
Corona said in the TV interview that he had nothing to hide and was open to testify in his trial but that this all depended on the decision of his lawyers.
“I agree with Justice Cuevas that it would be damaging for Chief Justice Corona to testify because they would have no control over the questions that can be posed by the senator-judges,” Lacierda said. “It’s going to be problematic for him.”
But he added it would be better if Corona would testify, particularly on his SALN as against his properties and bank records. Corona was after all the “author of his SALN,” he said. With reports from Michael Lim Ubac, Christine O. Avendaño and Marlon Ramos, PDI; and Maila Ager, INQUIRER.net
CORONA TRIAL
Defense asks impeachment court to junk bank evidence
By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 1
If Chief Justice Renato Corona’s lawyers would have their way, the Senate impeachment court should junk most of the documentary evidence formally offered by prosecutors in their bid to unseat him.
A day after the Senate ruled to admit purportedly illegally obtained records of Corona’s bank deposits, the defense counsels on Wednesday filed an objection asking the court to reject the bulk of the prosecution’s evidence, particularly those referring to his bank records and properties.
Despite the ruling, the defense panel included the disputed bank records in the objection, arguing that they were “based on documents illegally obtained through unlawful search.” They were also described as “irrelevant, immaterial and misleading.”
Defense lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said the Senate decision to admit evidence on Corona’s bank records did not exactly “weaken” the respondent’s position.
Not worried
“Personally, I’m not worried because I anticipated that,” he told the Inquirer. “By practice, judges admit pieces of evidence offered—unless they are blatantly inadmissible—and leave it to the other party to dispute them.”
In making the ruling, the senator-judges apparently “did not want to create the impression that they were the ones who destroyed the case of the prosecution,” the counsel said.
Salvador surmised that the second article of the impeachment complaint—including the bank records—formed the “backbone” of the prosecution’s case against the Chief Justice. He said the Senate ruling only “means that we have to dispute the evidence admitted.”
Among the documentary evidence the defense objected to were certifications from Philippine Savings Bank on seven Corona accounts from 2002 to 2011.
The defense panel’s objection also focused on pieces of evidence pertaining to Corona’s statements
of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), and land titles and other documents in connection with his properties, which were earlier revealed during the first seven weeks of trial.
Corona’s counsels noted that Article 2 charged him with “only one culpable act,” which was his alleged failure to disclose to the public his SALNs, “nothing more, nothing less.”
Ill-gotten wealth
They pointed out that the impeachment court earlier prevented the prosecution from presenting evidence in connection with alleged ill-gotten wealth, because the allegation was not formally charged in Article 2.
Still, the counsels said most of the exhibits formally offered by the prosecution on Friday were made to “prove that CJ Corona acquired ill-gotten wealth.”
The defense, for instance, opposed the admission of Corona’s SALN as of July 22, 1992, or nearly two decades before he became Chief Justice, saying it “has no reasonable connection to the issue of his supposed nondisclosure of his SALN to the public during his tenure as Justice of the Supreme Court.”
Corona’s camp sought the exclusion of the prosecution’s tender of excluded evidence, which referred to a Philippine Air Lines official’s testimony alleging that the Chief Justice had received
“special benefits” from the company.
The impeachment court junked the testimony because it pertained to bribery, which was not in Article 3.
Corona’s properties
The defense asked the court to reject evidence offered by the prosecution in relation to Corona’s properties, including his family’s condominium units at The Bellagio and Bonifacio Ridge, both in Taguig City.
The condominium certificate of title (CCT) for the 303.5-square-meter Bellagio unit was allegedly
“irrelevant and immaterial to the charge in Article 2.” The defense said the property, including three parking lots, “were accurately, timely and truthfully declared” in Corona’s SALN as of Dec. 31, 2010.
Corona’s camp raised the same arguments for the CCT the prosecution had marked as exhibit for the 113.02-sq. m Bonifacio Ridge unit.
In the case of the property at Lot 1, Block 16, at McKinley Hill Village, also in Taguig, the defense argued that it was “irrelevant and immaterial” to Article 2 and noted that it “is not owned” by the respondent. It was instead in the name of his daughter, Charina.
Abalos arraigned, enters no plea
By Miko Morelos, Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 2
The Pasay City Regional Trial Court on Wednesday went ahead and arraigned former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. despite his insistence on his right to appeal a decision junking his contention that the lower court did not have jurisdiction over the electoral sabotage case against him.
In rejecting Abalos’ motion to stay the arraignment, Judge Eugenio de la Cruz of RTC Branch 117 asserted his earlier ruling would stand whether or not the former Comelec chairman brings the matter of jurisdiction to the appellate court.
The judge had the court staff read the criminal information against Abalos and his coaccused, former South Cotabato election supervisor Lilia Suan-Radam, who pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of
electoral sabotage.
When the staff turned to Abalos, in his grey suit, after taking note of Radam’s plea, the former Comelec chair stood silent. Judge de la Cruz entered the not guilty plea on Abalos’ behalf in light of the latter’s silence.
Later in the hearing, Abalos took the reins from his lead counsel, Brigido Dulay, and personally argued against the prosecution’s plan to present nearly two dozen witnesses for his bail hearing scheduled at the end of this month.
Dulay had asked the court if it could proceed with the bail hearing initially scheduled yesterday, but election prosecutors led by Comelec law department head Esmeralda Ladra sought a preliminary conference to discuss minute details like witnesses and evidence to be presented in the proceedings.
When Ladra told the court the prosecution intended to present 22 witnesses, on top of voluminous documents, the judge reminded the prosecutor that the bail hearing was “summary in nature.”
She argued the prosecution needed to present the witnesses to establish conspiracy between Radam and Abalos.
It was at that point that Abalos pleaded to the court to allow him to speak in his own behalf.
Judge de la Cruz allowed the accused to speak on the condition that he would not do it again in the succeeding hearings.
As to how many witnesses the prosecution could present for the bail hearing, Abalos pointed out that they could present “only two witnesses—Radam and [Yogie Martirizar]—to establish my participation, if any.”
He added that all the witnesses identified in the prosecution’s list merely established probable cause, “which the court had already done when it issued a warrant of arrest.”
After about an hour of debate and discussion, the prosecution agreed to trim its witness list to the two former Comelec employees.
After the hearing, Abalos told reporters he took over from his counsel because there were “some details in the case that I knew firsthand” being a former Comelec chair.
His son, Mandaluyong Benhur Abalos, said he could not restrain his father despite the additional stress on the 77-year-old accused, who has been complaining of high blood pressure while in detention.
The elder Abalos maintained his “amazement” at the charges against him, saying he even ordered the prosecution of Radam and Martirizar when the Comelec en banc discovered irregularities in South Cotabato.
Ombudsman won’t dismiss or upgrade raps vs Arroyo
By Leila B. Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 2
The Office of the Ombudsman has rejected a petition from militants to upgrade to plunder the graft charges against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several others in connection with the canceled National Broadband Network contract with China’s ZTE Corp., but also denied the motions of Arroyo’s co-accused seeking the dismissal of the criminal cases against them.
With these rulings, the cases against Arroyo and her co-accused are expected to move forward in the Sandiganbayan 4th Division, to where these were earlier raffled off.
The antigraft court is expected to review the charges to determine probable cause, which is necessary for the issuance of arrest warrants against the accused.
The court earlier held in abeyance the determination of probable cause in the criminal charges against Arroyo and her co-accused, and directed the prosecution to complete first the preliminary investigation of the case. This entailed allowing the accused to file motions for reconsideration on the indictments against them.
These motions for reconsideration have already been resolved, the Ombudsman Special Prosecutor informed the court Wednesday.
2 counts of graft
Arroyo has been charged with two counts of graft and one count of violation of the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees in connection with the approval of the NBN contract with the China-based ZTE Corp. The so-called NBN-ZTE deal was later canceled amid allegations of bribery and overpricing.
Her co-accused in one of the graft cases are her spouse Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, former elections chief Benjamin Abalos and former Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza.
The Ombudsman, in a memorandum approved March 5, denied the motions for reconsideration filed by Mendoza and Mike Arroyo seeking the dismissal of the charges against them.
Arroyo and Abalos did not file any motion for reconsideration against their indictment.
In dismissing the motions for reconsideration, the Ombudsman said the cancellation of the NBN-ZTE contract after its perfection and prior to the filing of the charges before the court do not absolve anyone from liability.
It said the cancellation in 2007 “was made in bad faith and cannot be used by the accused to their advantage.”
Santiago: No graphic images in sex education books
By Cathy Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 5
Elementary school textbooks will not contain graphic images of the sex act once the Reproductive Health (RH) bill that provides “age- and development-appropriate” education is passed into law.
Senator Miriam Santiago gave this assurance as the Senate revived debates on the controversial bill.
When it was Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s turn to interpellate on Tuesday, he categorically asked Santiago, cosponsor of the RH bill, whether textbooks “would… include visual representations of sexual intercourse.”
The question was raised after Santiago said that “age- and development-appropriate” RH education would begin at fifth grade based on the bill’s provisions.
Santiago, who was initially taken aback by the question, laughed and said, “sexual intercourse might be difficult to depict in the form of pictures.”
She added that should a textbook provide an image, “it would be a euphemistic drawing or photograph. But it will not be explicit.”
Trillanes said he raised this concern after learning that parents in China and Australia are up in arms after discovering “graphic representations of sexual acts… displayed to the children as part of *their RH+ education.”
Santiago assured, however, that such cannot be the case in the Philippines where the population is composed of “85 percent Catholic.”
Philippines, US to hold war games near Spratlys
Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 5
The Philippines will hold large-scale military exercises with the United States next month near an area where it is locked in a tense sea territorial row with China.
The maneuvers, an annual event which this year will involve nearly 7,000 troops, will reinforce the close military ties between the longtime allies, Armed Forces Chief Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa said Wednesday.
“The cooperation between the two armed forces manifests the unswerving dedication and commitment of our security forces toward a more stable and secure Asia-Pacific region,” Dellosa said in a statement.
About 4,500 US troops will join 2,300 Filipino counterparts in various exercises—called Balikatan, meaning shoulder-to-shoulder—in Luzon and in Palawan, on the country’s southwest coast facing the West Philippine Sea (or the South China Sea), from April 16 to 27.
China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys islands in the South China Sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of it.
The territorial dispute over the waters, which are believed to sit atop vast deposits of gas and oil, has for decades been regarded as one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints.
Tensions rose last year after the Philippines and Vietnam accused China of becoming increasingly aggressive in staking its claims.
The Philippine government alleged last year that Chinese vessels fired on Filipino fishermen and harassed an oil exploration vessel in its waters.
The Philippines responded by calling for stepped-up military ties with the US, triggering an angry response from China which does not want US involvement in the dispute.
The AFP declined to say exactly where in Palawan, or which waters off the island, next month’s military exercises would take place.
“There are different places of engagements (in Palawan),” said Major Emmanuel Garcia,
spokesperson for the Philippine contingent of the joint exercises, refusing to name specific locations.
China claims waters close to the western edge of Palawan. However, waters to the eastern side of Palawan are uncontested by China.
The Philippine government has vital natural gas platforms and oil exploration projects in Palawan.
The US embassy in Manila said in a statement the exercises would include computer-simulated command post drills, multiple field exercises, as well as medical, engineering, humanitarian and civic activities.
Twenty participants from other Southeast Asian countries are also expected to take part in the drills,
the US embassy statement said. AFP, with Dona Pazzibugan
