Corona lawyer: 'Nothing wrong' about the Chief Justice negotiating sale of lot

One of the legal counsel of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Saturday asserted that it was proper for his client to directly negotiate the sale to the City of Manila of a lot in Sampaloc district.   "In the law on eminent domain, negotiation is a valid and lawful first step. There is nothing wrong about CJ negotiating and help his wife," Attorney Ramon Esguerra said.   "He is a lawyer and a husband," added the defense lawyer. The property was eventually sold to the city government under then Mayor Lito Atienza for P34.7 million, after Corona agreed to cut his original offer of P50 million for the parcel of land.   The lot belonged to Basa-Guidote Enterprises, Inc. (BEGI), the firm owned by Corona's wife Cristina's family. Relatives of Cristina - including a cousin and an aunt - recently came out to confirm the long-standing family feud over the BGEI properties.   Esguerra also said the transaction between Corona - acting on behalf of the BGEI - and the Manila city government was aboveboard, as was supported by a city ordinance on expropriation.   "Please note that records show there was an ordinance to expropriate and that included the lot of BGEI among other lots," he said.   Corona had previously claimed that he made it a point not to meddle in "financial and maternal affairs" of his in-laws.   Corona is on trial before the Senate convened as the impeachment court for alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constituion, and graft and corruption. — ELR, GMA News