Corona to Noy: Show your psychological records

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Renato Corona today said that President Benigno Aquino III should show the public his psychological records and bank accounts.

Corona made the statement in reaction to Aquino's speech during the commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, where the President said that the chief magistrate had lied in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN).

"Marahil, higit na makabubuti kung ilabas na rin ninyo, Ginoong Pangulo, ang inyong SALN, at ipaliwanag ito sa taong-bayan. Siguro, isama ninyo na rin ang inyong bank accounts at psychological records na matagal ng isyu," Corona said in a statement released today.

Corona said that the President has an obligation to assure the public that their leader is "in his right mind."

The chief justice reiterated that he had been religiously filing his SALN, but it is not released to the public in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Supreme Court. He said that the rule on the SALN of chief justices has been in existence way before he became a magistrate.

'Shut up'

Corona said in his statement that Aquino should not meddle in the impeachment issue. He said that by making announcements about the impeachment trial, the President seems to be trying to influence the Senate, which is sitting as an impeachment court.

"Mayroon pong proseso ang impeachment proceedings, at iyan po ay nakasaad sa ating Saligang Batas at sa mga alituntunin at kalakaran sa Senado," he said. "Gaya po ng una ninyong nasabi, higit na makabubuti kung kayo po ay 'magmaside at manahimik muna.'"

He added that Aquino was teaching the youth to "judge without knowing the whole truth" by making his own findings on the presentations made during the previous hearings of the impeachment court.

President Aquino made the speech at the La Consolacion College in Metro Manila.

In his speech, Aquino said that based on the testimonies during the impeachment proceedings, Corona clearly lied in his SALN.

"Iyan naman po ang sadya ko sa araw na ito: Liwanagin ang dapat liwanagin, at ituwid ang isyung pilit dinidiskaril ng ilan, upang ang karaniwang tao ay malinawan at makilahok sa usapan. Simple lang naman po ang tanong na nais sagutin ng paglilitis na ito: Dapat pa ba tayong magtiwala kay Ginoong Corona? Masasagot po natin iyan kung titingnan ang mga katotohanang lumalabas na sa paglilitis," Aquino said referring to the peso accounts of Corona presented before the Senate impeachment court.

He said that based on the testimonies of executives of the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) in connection with Corona's three peso accounts, the chief justice has P31.5 million undeclared wealth in 2010.

Aquino said that the amount is way bigger than Corona's P3.5 million declared wealth in his SALN for the same year.

"‘Di ho ba tayong lahat ay mapapasabing: naman. Maliwanag pa po sa sikat ng araw: Ginoong Corona, ang sinumpaan mong salaysay ay hindi tugma sa natuklas na pag-aari mo. Maski saang paaralan po, hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi sa buong mundo, 3.5 million pesos does not equal 31.5 million. Alin po ba ang totoo, Ginoong Corona?" Aquino said.

The President also hinted in his speech that Corona's SALN was deliberately hidden from public scrutiny.

"Ayon sa mismong testimonya ng kanyang Clerk of Court na si Ms. Vidal: sabi po, galing sa isang Binibining Acia, ipapasa ito kay Binibining Vidal, na ibibigay naman sa isang Binibining Albano. Ilalagay po ito sa isang locked—uulitin ko po—isang locked filing cabinet, at huling lalanding sa isang nakakandadong vault," he said.