Prosecution hit for unveiling docs to public

MANILA, Philippines -- Senator-judges of the impeachment court admonished the prosecution panel for revealing documents to the public that disclosed the alleged 45 properties of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Senator-judge Francis Escudero said only 21 Corona properties, including parking spaces, were actually presented in court by the prosecution, contrary to their claim.

Senator-judge Jinggoy Estrada supported Escudero, telling the prosecution to prevent themselves from disclosing documents that were not presented as evidence.

“So yung 21 or 24 properties, hindi pagmamay-ari ni Corona? Forty-five sinasabi niyo eh,” Estrada told prosecution head Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.

Tupas however explained that the 45 properties did not come the prosecution but from Land Registration Authority.

Tupas admitted that Corona did not own all of the 45 properties in the LRA list, saying “Yung iba cancelled, naibenta.”

Meantime, senator-Judge Allan Peter Cayetano sought clarification on what should be indicated in statement of assets, liabilities and networth (SALN).

"What should be included - property's fair market, assessed or zonal value," he asked during the 11^th Day of the impeachment hearing against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Defense lead counsel Serafin Cuevas said assessed value, fair market value, acquisition cost must all be declared in the SALN based on a directive from a Civil Service Commission.

Cuevas however said the Corona impeachment case was not whether the requirements of SALN law were fully complied, but only the filing of it.

For his part, prosecution member Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said official with inaccurate SALN is liable for perjury because it was filed under oath.

The defense team also conducted cross-examination on prosecution witnesses Carlo Alcantara (Register of deeds of Quezon City, and Sedfrey Garcia (Register of Deeds of Marikina City).

Corona counsels pointed out that the properties in Marikina were already sold to a certain Demetrio Vicente in 1990.

The prosecution aimed at presenting four witnesses today, namely, Greg Gregonia (Burgundy Realty Corp.), Ava Venus Mejia (Filinvest), and the register of deeds of Quezon City and Marikina City.

The court entered the 11th day of the impeachment hearing against the Chief Magistrate with 19 senator-judges present.