Two more Corona bank accounts almost drained

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan has frozen two more bank accounts belonging to former Chief Justice Renato Corona in a bid to recover P130.6 million in alleged ill-gotten wealth, but the accounts – like their banks accounts discovered earlier – have been almost wiped out.  

Only a total of P2,770 were left in Corona’s two bank accounts, according to separate letters submitted by officials of Banco de Oro and Land Bank of the Philippines to Sandiganbayan Sheriff IV Alexander Valencia.

The account of Corona and his wife, Cristina Roco, with the Loyola-Heights Berkely Residences Branch of Banco de Oro still holds P615.06, while P2,155.67 remained in Corona’s bank account at the United Nations Avenue branch of Landbank.  

Earlier, only P7,580.98 were found in Corona and his wife’s bank accounts after the anti-graft court ordered the garnishment of his assets. (READ: Few thousands left in Corona couple’s bank accounts)

An attachment order prevents the accused from transferring assets to another source while the case is ongoing, allowing the governement to recover funds in the event that they are declared as ill-gotten wealth. However, the contents of Corona’s bank accounts were withdrawn before the court order was issued. 

A complaint for forfeiture filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in March 2014 alleged that only P30.37 million could be considered “legitimate assets” out of the couple’s total assets of P160.96 million.  

The petition for forfeiture said Corona had cash deposits totalling P137,937,207.88 “in various peso and dollar accounts in different banks, that he failed to declare in his SALNs.”

The Corona-linked accounts were reportedly in the following banks: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), PS Bank, Allied Bank, Deutsche Bank AG, and Citibank NA. 

The court has also garnished the real properties of the Coronas, including:

• a parking lot at One Burgundy Plaza in Loyola Heights, Quezon City
• a residential lot in La Vista in the name of Corona’s daughter
• a condo unit and parking lot at The Columns on Ayala Avenue, Makati City
• a condo unit with 3 parking slots at Bellagio I, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
• a condo unit with one parking slot at Bonifacio Ridge, also in Fort Bonifacio

– Rappler.com