The prosecution team of the House of Representatives yesterday said it has proven that the salary of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was not enough to afford his acquired properties, citing the testimony of Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares.

In a press briefing, Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, one of the prosecution’s spokesmen, claimed the chief justice accumulated P200 million worth of properties "that are not supported by his compensation income."

Frank Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said yesterday that the impeachment trial of Corona shows that the Aquino administration is serious in its fight to put a stop to graft and corruption, which is good for investor confidence in the country.

Carbon said he is very happy about the administration’s consistency in the fight against corruption, it shows a clear policy direction, the impeachment trial is an exercise in check and balance, which he hopes will be over swiftly.

At yesterday’s impeachment hearing, Henares testified that the chief justice earned up to P657,000 during his tenure at the Supreme Court.

She also said that Corona did not file income tax returns (ITRs) from 2002 to 2010, but stated there was nothing wrong with this, as the chief justice was on the "alpha list" of the Supreme Court.

Henares said the Alpha List was being submitted to the BIR at the end of every year. It enumerates all employees of an employer and how much tax was withheld from their income.

Based on the testimony of the BIR chief and the documents submitted to the Senate impeachment court, Quimbo said the House prosecution was able to establish that the chief justice has no other means of income besides his earnings at the SC, since his assets are declared through the alpha list, and not through ITRs.*PNA

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