FILE PHOTO: Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines — Hindi pa rin nabasahan ng sakdal si dating Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona at asawa nitong si Cristina sa Court of Tax Appeals nitong umaga ng Miyerkules.
Ayon sa abogado ng mga Corona na si Atty. Reody Anthony Balisi, ipinagpaliban ang arraignment dahil hinihintay pa nila ang desisyon ng tax court sa isinumite nilang motion to quash noong Mayo 28 na naglalayong hilingin ang pagdismiss ng kaso laban kay Corona.
“Ang grounds namin is that the allegations in the info don’t constitute an offense that one. Number two, we actually also argue in the prescription issue so we will just expand and further support our arguments with those.”
Bukod pa rito, mayroon pa silang nakabinbin na petisyon sa Department of Justice.
Nagsumite rin ang kampo ni Corona ng motion for reconsideration na mai-consolidate ang iba pa niyang tax cases sa isang dibisyon ng tax court.
Ani Balisi, “Ang nangyari dun is that yung cases within a division they were consolidated but as far as the first division was concern hindi na-grant sa isang division lang. Well nagfile kami ng motion for consideration.”
Nahaharap sa 12 kasong tax evasion ang mag-asawa na isinampa ng Department of Justice kaugnay sa umano’y hindi tamang pagbabayad ng P120 million tax liabilities.
Si dating chief justice Corona ay napaalis sa pwesto noong 2012 matapos hatulan ng conviction ng Senate impeachment court.
Muling itinakda ang arraignment sa darating na August 27, 2014. (Rosalie Coz / Ruth Navales, UNTV News)