Content about Renato Corona

MANILA, Feb. 19, 2012—The country’ association of major superiors of religious women urged Chief Justice Renato Corona to allow the opening of his dollar accounts for the sake of transparency and accountability.

The religious body in a Feb. 17  statement expressed disappointment on the Supreme Court’s issuance of temporary restraining order (TRO) that prevented the Senate Court from obtaining the dollar accounts of Corona.

MANILA, Philippines (Jan 24, 2012) - Defense lawyers of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona are expected to block any further presentation of evidence related to allegations that the chief magistrate acquired illegal wealth as the impeachment trial resumes today.

The defense is expected to amplify its continuing objection to presentation of evidence, claiming that the allegation of illegal acquisition of wealth is not part of the second of the eight Articles of Impeachment.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 17, 2012) - A witness admitted yesterday to having seen a copy of Chief Justice Renato Corona's bank document in possession of hitherto unnamed member of the House of the Representatives even before Feb 2, 2012, the day when the prosecution claims they got possession of the controversial document from an unknown "little lady."

On Jan. 31, 2012, Quezon City Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal asked Philippine Savings Bank branch manager Annabelle Tiongson for help in authenticating a photocopy of what appeared to be a signature card for a dollar account in the bank belonging to one Renato Corona.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 16, 2012) - The petition of Chief Justice Renato Corona to stop his impeachment trial had to be raffled off for the second time after a Supreme Court (SC) Justice appointed by President Aquino declined to take charge of the case.

An insider yesterday told The Philippine Star that Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe does not want to be the ponente or member-in-charge of Corona’s case.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 16, 2012) - Amid claims and counter-claims about the authenticity of the documents presented by the prosecution panel, the impeachment court ordered the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) yesterday to produce the original records of the bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona for comparison before the Senator-jurors.

On Day 18 of the trial, Senate President and impeachment court presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile ordered PSBank president Pascual Garcia III to bring the customer identification and specimen signature card of Corona for two peso-denominated accounts in the bank.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb. 11, 2012) - Chief Justice Renato Corona and his family have to contend with a tax evasion probe even as the impeachment trial against the chief magistrate continues.

BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares sent separate summons to the Chief Justice, his wife Cristina, their daughter Ma. Carla and her husband Constantino Castillo III, to answer separate tax evasion inquiries.

MANILA, Feb. 9, 2012— If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

A Catholic Church official posed this statement for Supreme Chief Justice Renato Corona as he urged the latter to allow the opening of his dollar bank accounts with the Philippine Savings Bank.

Fr. Edu Gariguez of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action said the move is necessary for Corona to prove that there is nothing to be afraid of on his bank records.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 9, 2012) - Despite the defense's objections and a pending petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) at the Supreme Court, the Senate impeachment court allowed the testimony of the president of Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) who presented bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona's peso accounts - but not the dollar accounts.

Asked by Senate President and impeachment court presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile why he would not disclose the five dollar denominated accounts, PSBank president Pascual Garcia III said doing so would expose him to criminal liability because of stringent provisions in the Bank Secrecy Law pertaining to dollar accounts.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 8, 2012) - While the Senate impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona is ongoing, another Supreme Court (SC) justice is getting closer to being impeached.

Voting 27-4 with one abstention, the House committee on justice handily hurdled the third step of its four-step impeachment process by finding “sufficient ground for impeachment” against Justice Mariano del Castillo for alleged plagiarism and misrepresentation.

Minutes before it found enough ground to pursue the impeachment complaint against Del Castillo, the committee, by a 28-5 vote, threw out a motion presented by former minority leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman to dismiss the case.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 8, 2012) - In an emotional testimony frequently interrupted by objections from the defense counsel and admonition from the chair, the president of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) employees union alleged that Chief Justice Renato Corona played a role in flip-flopping of the Supreme Court on cases against the flag carrier.

The prosecution presented Roberto Anduiza, president of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP), as its first witness against Corona for Article 3 of the impeachment complaint. Under Article 3, Corona is being accused of making the high court reverse some of its rulings.

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 7, 2012) - In a decision arrived at during a closed-door caucus called in the midst of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona yesterday, Senators acting as judges allowed the subpoena and presentation of Corona'a bank account records as requested by the prosecution.

The alleged supicious accounts are held by Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 01, 2012) - The Corona family might be awash in undeclared cash as indicated by the pattern of buying properties on "almost cash basis" and the uncovering of secret dollar accounts traced to their names and the prosecution team is now eyeing the presentation of the bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife Cristina.

The prosecution team aims to bolster its argument that the chief justice, now on impeachment trial, has substantial assets not declared in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALN).