PNoy to Corona: SALN or discovered assets—which is true?
(Updated 1:10 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday criticized anew Chief Justice Renato Corona for the mismatch between Corona’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and the assets discovered to be under the chief magistrate's name.
The discrepancy, Aquino said, is as clear as day.
“Naman. Maliwanag pa po sa sikat ng araw: Ginoong Corona, ang sinumpaan mong salaysay ay hindi tugma sa natuklasan na pag-aari mo. Maski saang paaralan po sa buong mundo, P3.5 million is not equal to P31.5 million. Alin po ba ang totoo, Ginoong Corona?” Aquino asked rhetorically at a pulong bayan with students at La Consolacion College Manila Thursday.
Aquino also decried alleged efforts of Corona’s camp to muddle the issues in the impeachment process.
Despite this, Aquino said his confidence in the impeachment process remains and he will not allow some personalities to divert the issue.
“Pinili ko pong magmasid at manahimik muna ukol sa isyung ito, at buo pa rin po ang tiwala ko sa proseso. Ngunit ano po ba ang nangyayari sa ngayon? Napakarami pong nagpapalit-palit ng kuro-kuro, na tila ba sadya tayong hinihilo o inililigaw para mawalan ng interes,” he said.
“Magpapa-etsa-puwera na lang po ba si Juan de la Cruz sa prosesong ito? Hahayaan na lang po ba natin na iilan ang magdesisyon para sa ating lahat? Iyan naman po ang sadya ko sa araw na ito: Liwanagin ang dapat liwanagin, at ituwid ang isyung pilit dinidiskaril ng ilan, upang ang karaniwang tao ay malinawan at makilahok sa usapan,” he added.
Promptly, defense counsel and spokesperson Karen Jimeno appealed to Aquino not to immediately jump into conclusions with his public pronouncements.
"Umpisa pa lang po tayo ng paglilitis. Ang prosecution pa lang ang nagbibigay ng ebidensiya," Jimeno said in an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.
"Bago tayo maghusga, pakinggan muna natin ang panig ng nasasakdal. Nasa demokrasya pa naman po tayo kaya nga tayo may proseso ng paglilitis," she added.
A matter of trust
In his speech, Aquino said the main issue is if Corona is still worth the trust of the people and that could be answered with the pieces of evidence presented so far in the trial, such as the latter’s SALN.
He said Corona’s filing of the SALN is not enough as it has to be scrutinized.
Aquino noted the discrepancy in the amount Corona declared in his SALN and the money in his PSBank and BPI.
“Noong 2010, nagdeklara siya ng cash na P3.5 million. Ayon sa mga testimonya ng Pangulo ng PSBank at branch manager ng BPI Ayala, sa tatlong account pa lang na naisiwalat sa impeachment, si Ginoong Corona ay may nakatagong 31.5 million pesos na hindi idineklara,” he said.
The President then cited the case of a certain Elsa Flores, a court interpreter from the Davao Regional Trial Court, who was sacked in 1997 for violation of the Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for her failure to declare her income from a market stall that she owned.
“Sa isang court interpreter, iyan po ang batayan. Magkano po kaya ang upa sa isang puwesto sa palengke? Sa Punong Mahistrado po ba, dapat naiiba? Kung si Ginang Flores po ay sinisante, ano po kaya ang dapat hatol kay Ginoong Corona? Kailangan pa po bang tanungin kung impeachable offense ang ginawa niya?” he asked.
Aquino reiterated that if Corona is not hiding anything, he should open his dollar accounts to public scrutiny.
“Kung wala kang ginawang mali, wala kang dapat itago. Kayo nga po ang tanungin ko: Ganito ba umasta ang isang taong walang dapat katakutan? Pahirapan ang paghagilap sa kanyang SALN, at hanggang ngayon, pilit niyang inililihim ang kanyang mga dollar account,” he said.
Aquino also asked when is the "due time," as mentioned by Corona and his defense counsels, the Chief Justice would open his accounts
“Mawalang-galang na po, Ginoong Corona, marami pang naunang taon na nagpasa kayo ng SALN na puno ng katanungan. Kailan po ba ang due time? Mukha po yatang overdue ka na,” he said.
Don't 'execute' Corona in public
But Jimeno said Aquino seemed to be acting as the judge in the impeachment case.
"Parang siya rin ang naglilitis. Hindi naman tama iyon at hindi ito makatarungan... Parang binibitay kaagad sa publiko," Jimeno said.
Jimeno reiterated the defense panel's repeated promise that the chief magistrate will answer all the charges being hurled against him at the "right time and at the proper forum."
"Sinasabi naman talaga ni Chief Justice na ipapaliwanag niya lahat ng nasa SALN niya, lahat ng ari-arian niya pati ang bank accounts niya pero sa tamang panahon," she said.
According to her, the defense respects Senate impeachment rules barring members of both panels from speaking in public about the merits of the case.
The defense spokesman also assured the public that Corona would personally appear in court "if necessary." The only time that the chief magistrate attended the proceedings was on the trial's first day – January 16.
She said she was sad the executive department, particularly the President, continues to "publicly meddle" in the case. "Sana tumigil na ang ganitong pakikialam sa impeachment process dahil lahat tayo ay nasa ilalaim ng Saligang Batas," she added.
Jimeno said the defense is still looking forward to the speedy resolution of the case.
"Sana mas mapabilis ang proseso. Makakabuti ito sa lahat hindi lang sa impeachment case kundi para sa buong bayan, para 'di na masayang ang pera ng bayan," she said.
Just doing his duty
During his speech, Aquino clarified there was nothing personal in Corona's impeachment.
“Lilinawin ko lang po: Walang personalan dito; sistemang pangkatarungan ang ipinaglalaban dito. At dahil malaki ang pagbabagong ating hinahangad, malaki rin po ang kinakabangga natin,” he said.
He said his duty is to serve justice and put balance in the society as he urged the public to stand by the truth.
“Papayag ba tayo na magpatuloy ang sistema kung saan may nanlalamang at nilalamangan? Hahayaan ba nating magkatotoo ang sinasabing dalawang mukha ng katarungan sa Pilipinas – isa para sa makapangyarihan, at iba para sa mga nasa laylayan? Kuntento ka bang hindi patas ang laban? Hindi ba sulit na ituwid ang ganitong klaseng kalakaran? 'Di po ba't malinaw po ang mga alituntuning kailangang sundin ng lahat?” Aquino said.
Gloria Arroyo's man
Also in his speech, Aquino asked Corona not to beat around the bush because the people know that he (Corona) was appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to defend her against possible corruption raps once she is no longer in power.
"'Di ba nagsimula lang naman ang lahat ng ito nang muntik ka nang magtagumpay na patakasin si Ginang Arroyo? Tandaan po natin: Punong Mahistrado mismo ang nagpilit na puwedeng umalis ng bansa si Ginang Arroyo,” he said.
Corona was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in April 2002.
Corona was once Arroyo’s spokesperson and chief of staff while she was still vice president. – with a report by Mark D. Merueñas /KG/RSJ/HS/LBG, GMA News
But Jimeno said Aquino seemed to be acting as the judge in the impeachment case.
"Parang siya rin ang naglilitis. Hindi naman tama iyon at hindi ito makatarungan... Parang binibitay kaagad sa publiko," Jimeno said.
Jimeno reiterated the defense panel's repeated promise that the chief magistrate will answer all the charges being hurled against him at the "right time and at the proper forum."
"Sinasabi naman talaga ni Chief Justice na ipapaliwanag niya lahat ng nasa SALN niya, lahat ng ari-arian niya pati ang bank accounts niya pero sa tamang panahon," she said.
According to her, the defense respects Senate impeachment rules barring members of both panels from speaking in public about the merits of the case.
The defense spokesman also assured the public that Corona would personally appear in court "if necessary." The only time that the chief magistrate attended the proceedings was on the trial's first day – January 16.
She said she was sad the executive department, particularly the President, continues to "publicly meddle" in the case. "Sana tumigil na ang ganitong pakikialam sa impeachment process dahil lahat tayo ay nasa ilalaim ng Saligang Batas," she added.
Jimeno said the defense is still looking forward to the speedy resolution of the case.
"Sana mas mapabilis ang proseso. Makakabuti ito sa lahat hindi lang sa impeachment case kundi para sa buong bayan, para 'di na masayang ang pera ng bayan," she said.
Just doing his duty
During his speech, Aquino clarified there was nothing personal in Corona's impeachment.
“Lilinawin ko lang po: Walang personalan dito; sistemang pangkatarungan ang ipinaglalaban dito. At dahil malaki ang pagbabagong ating hinahangad, malaki rin po ang kinakabangga natin,” he said.
He said his duty is to serve justice and put balance in the society as he urged the public to stand by the truth.
“Papayag ba tayo na magpatuloy ang sistema kung saan may nanlalamang at nilalamangan? Hahayaan ba nating magkatotoo ang sinasabing dalawang mukha ng katarungan sa Pilipinas – isa para sa makapangyarihan, at iba para sa mga nasa laylayan? Kuntento ka bang hindi patas ang laban? Hindi ba sulit na ituwid ang ganitong klaseng kalakaran? 'Di po ba't malinaw po ang mga alituntuning kailangang sundin ng lahat?” Aquino said.
Gloria Arroyo's man
Also in his speech, Aquino asked Corona not to beat around the bush because the people know that he (Corona) was appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to defend her against possible corruption raps once she is no longer in power.
"'Di ba nagsimula lang naman ang lahat ng ito nang muntik ka nang magtagumpay na patakasin si Ginang Arroyo? Tandaan po natin: Punong Mahistrado mismo ang nagpilit na puwedeng umalis ng bansa si Ginang Arroyo,” he said.
Corona was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in April 2002.
In 2010, a few weeks before Arroyo stepped down from office, Corona was named chief justice despite a ban on midnight appointments.
Aquino, who then won the presidency, never fully recognized the legitimacy of Corona’s appointment.
A total of 188 members of the House of Representatives agreed in December 2011 to swiftly impeach the chief justice for alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution and graft and corruption.
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