P-Noy vs Corona Bare assets free to the public

P-Noy vs Corona  Bare assets free to the public

President Aquino yesterday challenged Chief Justice Renato Corona to testify before the impeachment court and open his assets for public scrutiny.

The challenge was hurled on the eve of the resumption of Corona’s impeachment trial, and amid an investigation into his alleged bank deposits amounting to $10 million.

“There is no option that says, ‘Will I explain this?’ The minute he doesn’t explain it, the presumption of ill-gotten (wealth) remains. And that is not an opinion. That is the law. And he is the chief magistrate. Maybe he should be the first one to comply,” Aquino said.

He said under the 1987 Constitution, it is mandatory for any government official, more so for those at the top levels, to declare all assets, liabilities and net worth every year, up to the last centavo.
Aquino said the words used are “shall disclose.”

P-Noy  vs Corona  Bare assets free to the public

“So, I will say it again, this is not an option. So the question I think is, ‘Will I disclose it publicly?” The minute I submit it, that becomes part of the public record and it’s available,” he said.

Aquino said even when he served as Tarlac congressman and senator, his annual statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) was always available for the public to see and that he had “nothing to hide” from the very start.

This makes it imperative for Corona – being head of the judiciary – to do the same, he said.
Corona’s lawyer yesterday said the magistrate had declared the acquisition costs of the five real properties and country club shares he owns in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2011.
The acquisition costs were included in Corona’s SALN after he apparently failed to fill up the column for acquisition costs in his previous SALNs.

Corona’s impeachment trial at the Senate resumes on May 7, 2012 after a five-week break.