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Palace: Corona ‘best witness for prosecution’

Rappler.com

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Malacañang said Chief Justice Renato Corona has made 'his legal legacy a Get Out of Jail Free Card' for 'plunderers and crooks'

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Renato Corona has “become the best witness for the prosecution” by admitting the existence of his dollar and peso accounts which he did not declare in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), Malacañang said Friday, May 25.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperon Edwin Lacierda noted that Corona admitted withholding information from his SALN.

On Day 42 of his impeachment trial, the Corona revealed that he has US$2.4-M in dollar accounts and P80-M peso deposits.

“The issues have been joined. Mr. Corona has become the best witness for the prosecution. He has proven, by his demeanor and his very own statements, the validity of the charges against him, and provided evidence more than sufficient to determine his fate,” Lacierda added.

Lacierda said that by defending his decision not to declare these funds in his SALN, “Mr. Corona has proposed that a 1974 law is supreme over the requirements of the 1987 Constitution.”

He concluded: “He has made his legal legacy a Get Out of Jail Free Card for all officials who are plunderers and crooks. They will merely have to park their ill-gotten funds in foreign currency accounts to immunize themselves from the effects of our anti-graft laws.” – Rappler.com

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