Corona lawyers to present 'forensics audit' when trial resumes in May

The defense panel in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona will present audit reports when the trial resumes on May 7 to shed more light on the funds of the Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc., the company owned by the family of Corona’s wife.   Defense lawyer and spokesperson Tranquil Salvador III, in a statement on Tuesday, said the defense will explain the more than P90 million fund of the BGEI that is held in a trust.   "A forensics audit will soon make the financials clearer, that will explain for instance the interests earned by the trust funds that will explain significantly the bank deposits," Salvador said.   Forensic auditing refers to the application of auditing skills to situations that have legal consequences.   The relatives of Corona’s wife, Cristina, had surfaced to claim that the Corona couple tried taking control of the BGEI properties and funds, even if Cristina's mother — according to Cristina's cousin Ana Basa — had little shares in the company.   In the eight days that it has presented witnesses, the defense said that, among others, it was able to "lay brick by brick the controverting evidence about the real assets of Corona."   Salvador added that their camp was able to establish the financial standing of the Corona couple through their combined income and allowances.   The defense earlier presented employees from the Supreme Court, Senate Electoral Tribunal, and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal to show how much Corona had been receiving in salaries and allowances since he became chief magistrate.   “We have also debunked the bloated number of properties publicly presented by the Prosecution; from allegedly 45 properties, these have been halved per admission by the Prosecution, if not dwarfed by the truth that CJ Corona really owns only 5 properties," Salvador said.   For his part, another defense lawyer and spokesperson, Rico Paolo Quicho, maintained that all of Corona's assets were declared in his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), contrary to the prosecution's allegations.   "The issue of acquisition cost notwithstanding as these had not been concealed based on evidence of publicly available records such as pertinent deeds of sale with the Register of Deeds,” Quicho said.   Corona, impeached in December last year, is accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption.    The trial, which started on January 16, is currently on a month-long break. - Mark D. Merueñas/KBK, GMA News