Corona’s wife wins land dispute case in CA

MANILA, Philippines - The wife of former chief justice Renato Corona has won a case against her relatives over a property in Sampaloc, Manila that became controversial during his impeachment trial last year.

In a 15-page decision released yesterday, the Court of Appeals (CA) 10th Division affirmed the ruling of the Manila regional trial court in August 2009 granting ownership of the contested property to Basa Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI), a corporation owned by the family of Cristina Roco-Corona.

The CA also upheld the order of the lower court for heirs of Jose Maria Basa III, Cristina’s uncle, to surrender the P37.4-million property to BGEI.

It can be recalled that Corona’s lawyers cited the sale of this property to justify the presence of peso deposits under the name of the Corona couple, but which were not declared in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

In its ruling, the CA held that the trial court did not commit an error in its judgment.

The Manila RTC, in its Aug. 6, 2009 ruling, held that appellants Basa and Cecilia Henson-Basa never denied the authenticity and due execution of the deed of sale dated Aug. 12, 1964 which transferred ownership of the subject property to BGEI.

In upholding the lower court’s order, the appellate court dismissed the claim of the Basas that Cristina has no legal personality to initiate the reconveyance suit against the Basas on behalf of her mother, the late Asuncion Basa Roco.

It noted that Cristina was duly appointed attorney-in-fact of her mother with the power to institute action for and on her behalf.