Senate may still assess Corona’s ‘ill-gotten’ wealth

Thursday, January 26, 2012
MANILA — The senator-judges hearing the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona may still discuss the chief magistrate’s alleged ill-gotten wealth despite Wednesday’s ruling on the nature of Article 2 of the impeachment complaint.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, after a caucus of senators earlier Wednesday, said the Senate will allow prosecutors to try to prove that Corona owns properties that he did not disclose but will set aside, for now, any discussion of ill-gotten wealth.
“Ill-gotten is a conclusion, so they have to present evidence. That’s why the factual matter that requires evidence is in paragraphs two and three,” Enrile said after the day six of the impeachment trial adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Under Article 2 of the impeachment complaints, paragraph 2.2 refers to Corona’s failure to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) while 2.3 questions the respondent’s non-inclusion in his SALN some of his properties.
Under paragraph 2.4, the prosecutors accused the respondent of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquired assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits.
The Senate ruled Wednesday that the Article 2 will only deal with the alleged non-disclosure of net worth and not on the allegation of ill-gotten wealth.
Presentation of evidence on allegations that the Chief Justice accumulated ill-gotten wealth was barred after the defense argued Wednesday the allegation was not properly made and was based on reports and suspicion, not facts.
“Considering that paragraph 2.4 is deemed unwritten, any evidence related thereto is inadmissible, irrelevant, and improper,” defense lawyer Jose Roy III said in the motion.
Also on Wednesday, Enrile allowed the prosecution to introduce documents, through Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner Kim Henares, including certificate authorizing registration of the properties purchased and sold by Corona and wife Cristina.
Enrile said evidences for paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 were allowed because these are connected in the 2.4. “So whether these unreported and excluded assets are ill-gotten wealth or legally-gotten wealth, they’ll have to be decided once the evidence of the assets is already evident,” he said.
“On the assets not included, they (prosecutors) have to prove it and that’s what they are doing now. Now, if it is legally-gotten, or illegally-gotten, that’s the conclusion. They have to show basis that he (Corona) has bank deposits and which bank and not subpoena the bank without evidence,” Enrile said.
The prosecution panel on Wednesday requested the Senate impeachment tribunal to issue a subpoena to five bank officials and to have them bring the monthly bank statements of Corona and his wife, Cristina.
The request for subpoena is still in connection with Article 2 of the impeachment complaint.
But a motion to block a request from prosecutors to subpoena Corona and his wife’s bank records to be used to prove ill-gotten wealth was also filed Wednesday.
Requested to attend Thursday’s trial are managers of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)–Ayala Avenue branch, Makati City; and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, Katipunan Avenue branch, Quezon City.
The prosecution also requested the presence of the presidents or authorized representatives of the main branches of the Philippine National Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, and BPI.
Spokespersons for the prosecution team earlier said impeachment trials are exempted from the Bank Secrecy Law.
Section 2 of the Bank Secrecy Law provides that “all deposits of whatever nature with banks or banking institutions in the Philippines, including investments in bonds issued by the Government of the Philippines, its political subdivisions and its instrumentalities, are hereby considered as of an absolutely confidential nature and may not be examined, inquired or looked into by any person, government official, bureau or office, except upon written permission of the depositor, or in cases of impeachment, or upon order of a competent court in cases of bribery or dereliction of duty of public officials, or in cases where the money deposited or invested is the subject matter of the litigation.”
The Senate impeachment court directed both parties last week to submit their positions on what should be covered by Article 2.
The prosecution, on Wednesday morning, said allegations of ill-gotten wealth should be included in the trial because “the significance of the truthfulness of the contents of the (Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth) cannot be overemphasized.”
Defense lawyer Tranquil Salvador III said the prosecution will likely try to “stitch together” evidence to point to undeclared properties that will create “a presumption of ill-gotten wealth.”
The panel has been marking as evidence Corona’s SALNs, land titles under his and his relatives’ names, and planned to present tax records to show ill-gotten wealth.
Asked by senator-judge Ralph Recto, Henares told the impeachment court that Corona did not personally file income tax returns (ITRs) from 2002-2010 because he was included in the “alpha list” because he was termed by the BIR as local employee of the SC.
Based on the alpha list, Corona has been deducted with income tax return from 2006 to 2010 ranging from P465,000 to P657,755.57.
Henares said Corona’s wife Cristina had no tax record except in September 9, 2003 when she paid tax for property transaction for La Vista property involving P11 million.
The rest of Henares’s testimony was markings of the certificate authorizing registration of the Corona’s properties, which already listed in his SALN.
Unable to finish the markings, the prosecution has asked the court to direct Henares to continue the markings on Thursday morning.
With the presentation of Henares as witness with the permission of President Benigno Aquino III, Enrile described the sixth day of impeachment trial as “very smooth.” (Kathrina Alvarez/Jonathan de Santos/PNA/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2012/01/26/senate-may-still-assess-corona-s-ill-gotten-wealth-202598

Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

Things to do in Clark Pampanga Philippines: do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is well known among wine lovers all over Asia as the best place to find rare vintage wines.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com