by Edu Punay, Jess Diaz and Helen Flores, Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz urged Chief Justice Renato Corona to go on leave so he can focus on his impeachment trial at the Senate, which will start next week.

“I don’t think he can be effective both as a Chief Justice and as a defendant in an impeachment case, one or the other will take all of one’s time,” Cadiz told the weekly media forum Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez had said Corona would not take a leave of absence despite facing an impeachment trial.

Cadiz said Corona should appoint an officer-in-charge while he is being tried at the Senate.

“It is not easy to become a Chief Justice and at the same time defend yourself at the impeachment trial… but it is entirely his call (whether or not to take a leave of absence),” he said.

“He should appoint somebody who will run the Supreme Court while he is defending himself. But conventional wisdom will say he cannot do two things at the same time,” said Cadiz.

Meanwhile, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said yesterday the camp of Corona “may not be telling the truth” about Corona’s P14.5-million penthouse at the Bellagio Tower in Global City, Taguig.

He said research conducted by investigative journalist Raissa Robles showed that Corona and his wife Ma. Cristina signed a deed of absolute sale on Dec. 16, 2009 covering the 303.5-square meter penthouse.

He said Robles has obtained a copy of the deed of absolute sale and has posted it in her blog.

“This belies the claim of the camp of the Chief Justice that he and his wife acquired the luxurious property on an installment basis and that they were still amortizing it,” he added.

Evardone, a former journalist and one of the 188 House members who signed the complaint against Corona, noted that as of last weekend, Corona’s chief defense lawyer, former justice Cuevas, was quoted as saying that the Coronas were still paying for their Bellagio penthouse unit.

“We already discussed that in our answer (to the Articles of Impeachment). We are not hiding anything. Until now, that is not yet fully paid,” Cuevas was quoted as saying.

In their recent interviews, Cuevas and Marquez said Corona and his wife could very well afford the Bellagio unit.

The deed of absolute sale shows that Giovanni Ng, Megaworld’s finance director, signed for the firm.

Evardone said based on Robles’ investigation, the Coronas got their penthouse unit for about P40,000 per square meter, when the prevailing market price in 2009 was at least P80,000 per square meter.

For his part, House impeachment prosecution panel spokesman Rep. Miro Quimbo of Marikina said the questions Robles raised in her blog “can be answered simply with the disclosure by the Chief Justice of his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.”

“If he wants these accusations to quiet down, he should follow his two colleagues, who have released their SALNs,” he said, referring to Associate Justices Carpio and Sereno.

Last week, the prosecution panel revealed the 2009 acquisition by the Corona couple of their penthouse but did not say whether it was paid in full or acquired on installment.

Since Corona refuses to release his SALN, Quimbo said they would have no choice but to ask the Senate impeachment court during the trial to subpoena it.

He said they would also ask the court to summon Megaworld’s Ng to testify on the purchase arrangement and price of the condominium unit.

Source: The Philippine Star