“No need for a reaction. De cajon na yun per SB (Sandiganbayan) Rules,” was Corona’s brief reply in a text message, without elaborating.
Section 3, Rule 57 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure, states that an “order of attachment shall be granted only when it appears by the affidavit of the applicant, or of some other person who personally knows the facts, that a sufficient cause of action exists… (and) that there is no other sufficient security for the claim sought to be enforced by the action.”
Even Corona’s legal counsel Magilyn Loja was mum on the Sandiganbayan order. The lawyer had earlier said their camp has yet to receive a copy of the Sandiganbayan order.
“But once we receive the resolution, we will have to discuss it with our client so our client can take appropriate action,” Loja had said.
The lawyer had also noted that: “(Corona) is in the Philippines and he has been facing all cases filed against him.”
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos, Second Division chairperson, signed the two-page directive granting the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment, which was dated May 5 but released to the media only on Thursday, May 14.
The writ was attached to the P130-M forfeiture case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against the Corona couple on March 27, the order said.
A special panel of investigators of the Ombudsman had earlier determined that from 2001 to 2011, ex-justice Corona earned P27,145,472.68 while his wife Cristina earned P3,223,647.45.
“The Office of the Ombudsman determined that the Coronas’ unexplained wealth is at least P130,336,212.88,” the panel said, adding the amount is a “conservative estimate” as it does not include their cost of living allowance and expenses entailed during travels abroad.
Corona was impeached in 2011 for misdeclaring his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, voted to convict Corona for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution on May 29, 2012. — JDS, GMA News
