'Yes, I have a clear conscience."Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Friday denied the allegations made by Chief Justice Renato Corona that she was “used” by Malacañang to present documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) regarding the chief justice’s dollar accounts.
“I was never ever used by Malacañang,” Carpio-Morales told reporters in a press conference.
“Hindi ako magpapagamit. I have been trying to be impartial. I have been trying to be fair. I have been trying to be impervious to influence and I’d like to believe I succeeded,” she said.
Carpio-Morales said she felt “maligned” by Corona’s statements against her, adding that she will let the public judge who between them is telling the truth.
“He asked me if I have a conscience. Yes, I have a clear conscience. I hope he has a conscience and it is as clear as mine,” she said.
Corona returns to the SenateChief Justice Renato Corona on Friday admitted having US$2.4 million, including interest earnings since the early 1970s, plus P80 million in co-mingled funds.
“I never, at any time, had 10, 11 or 12 million [US] dollars,” Corona said, denying a claim by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales that he had “transactional balances” of $10 million-$12 million in his dollar accounts.
Answering questions from senator-judges, Corona said his dollar accounts now total $2.4 million. He said he began investing and trading in dollars since the late 1960s when he was still working with the private sector.
Blocked from leaving the SenateThe walkout by Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona sealed his fate: he will be convicted.
During his three-hour narration, wherein he didn’t mince words against those he perceived were maligning him including President Aquino, whom he scornfully referred to as “hacienderong Pangulo”, he kept on complaining about his detractors undermining the rule law and bastardizing due process.
“Binababoy nila ang proseso ng Saligang Batas para yurakan ang aking mga karapatan,” he said.
As chief justice, Corona should be the embodiment of the rule of law. His office enforces judicial code of conduct and the Code of Professional Responsibility for lawyers. He knows that a witness, which he was on May 22, does not leave the witness stand without being discharged by the Presiding judge.
Update: Impeachment court won’t wait for Corona, who is now at the ICU of Medical City. Enrile gives defense up to Friday to present their evidence. Oral arguments will be on Monday. After that, voting. Thanks to Inquirer.net for photo
Just when it seemed that Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona had scored with his almost three -hour long testimony, complete with tearful moments, at his impeachment trial he walked out of the trial!
He just declared: “And now, the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines wishes to be excused.” Then he left the session hall.
A surprised and annoyed Presiding Judge Juan Ponce-Enrile ordered all the Senate building’s exit closed.
What a day!
My friend Marilyn Robles remarked: “Naluma ang theatrics ni Manang Miriam. May paiyak-iyak pa.Ayan nagalit si Manong Johnny.”
Dean Nilo Divina of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, who is one of ANC’s panelists, said it beats any Korean telenovela.
Thanks to MSNBC for photoIt’s good that former Marine Capt. Nick Faeldon didn’t push through with his planned voyage Panatag shoal, also known as Scarborough shoal, where an almost one- and- half-month long standoff between the Philippines and China is a subject of informal diplomatic talks.
Faeldon, who was imprisoned for seven years for his participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny against Gloria Arroyo, had planned to set sail for Panatag shoal, last Friday together with fishermen from his home province, Batanes and fishermen from Masinloc, who are most affected by the conflict.
A call from the President Aquino Thursday aborted the plan, which would have really further riled the Chinese who are claiming the shoal, more than a thousand nautical miles away from their mainland. (Panatag shoal is 124 nautical miles from Zambales.)
Corona to take the standChief Justice Renato Corona may have accumulated a total of P677 million in unexplained wealth, including “more or less” $10 million, from 2001 to 2012, investigators of the Office of the Ombudsman said in a report.
Corona is scheduled to finally take the witness stand at his trial in the Senate impeachment court on May 22 to answer the allegations against him.
The panel of investigators, formed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to look into complaints that Corona may have accumulated ill-gotten wealth, summed up their findings as follows:
A net increase of P8,970,980 in Corona’s net worth.
Testifying on Corona's dizzying dollar accountsChief Justice Renato Corona has “fresh deposits” amounting to more than $12 million, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on Monday told the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court.
“I think my computation which was arrived at with the assistance of a CPA (certified public accountant) lawyer is that fresh deposits, which means they never moved, they remained in that particular (account) amounted to more than 12 million dollars…,” Morales said, based on the report furnished to her by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
Morales gave the statement when Senator Ferdinand “Bong-Bong” Marcos Jr. asked whether the total amount of Corona’s alleged dollar deposits in 82 accounts totaled $10 million.
“It’s even more,” said the Ombudsman in response to Marcos’ query.
In its website, side by side with reports on the peacetalks that the Muslim rebel group is pursuing with the government and the death of its vice chairman for Military Affairs, Aleem Abdul Aziz S. Mimbantas, MILF deputy chairman of the MILF Committee on Information Khaled Musa said they are not taking sides on the ugly incident but commented that Tulfo, “has been given the dose of his own medicine.”
“Hurting is not only when one is attacked but the more stinging it is when the offended party is the whole community like the Moros. I wish he will stop insulting people now that he has been given the dose of his own medicine,” Musa said.
He added: “‘Truth is truth and it is not fair to say Ramon Tulfo or the Santiagos are guilty of starting the brawl. Let the facts of the incident come out soon.”
Luwaran described Tulfo as ,” an incorrigible critic of Moros in Mindanao.”
The news item further said that in his column in the Philippine Inquirer, Tulfo treat the Moros in Mindanao as “made of sub-race.”
Friday the 13th last year, at about 6 p.m., fellow VERA Files writer and trustee, Chit Estella was riding in a taxi for a reunion dinner with high school classmates at UP Ayala TechnoHub .
A rampaging Universal Guiding Star bus rammed the taxi along Commonwealth Avenue. Chit never made it to the dinner.
On Sunday, on the first anniversary of her passing, Chit’s family will hold a Metro-Manila wide Run for Road Safety for all victims of road crashes.
