World Bank questioned High Court on judicial reform fund -- solons

TURNING the screws on Chief Justice Renato Corona in the runup to his impeachment trial, the House prosecution panel disclosed that the World Bank has questioned Corona over the use of a $21-million loan it granted the Supreme Court.

An “aide memoire” issued by the international bank is questioning Corona over the misuse of the million dollar loan intended for the judicial system reforms, the solons said.

Two spokesmen of the House Prosecution panel said that such memorandum is an embarrassment to the Judiciary and the entire nation.

Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo viewed the World Bank findings with grave concern because of its impact on the standing of the Philippines before the international lending institutions helping the country in its agenda for reforms.

“It is a shame that no less than Chief Justice Corona is embroiled in the irregular use of funds provided by the World Bank as pointed out in its aide memoire. The misuse of funds by the chief magistrate embarrassed not only the Supreme Court but also the entire nation,” Quimbo said.

“Chief Justice Corona owes the World Bank and the Filipino people an explanation as to why these funds had been misdirected other than its original purpose, which is to reform the judicial system in the country,” he added.

According to the memorandum, the World Bank showed a portion of the $21-million loan it granted the high court in 2011 for judicial reforms had been used for other purposes such as local and foreign trips of some court officials.

The WB noted that it appears that plane fares for some members of the tribunal who went to Cebu on March 18, 2011 were taken from the loan.

The WB also questioned the travel allowance of two court officials, which reached P170,000 or $4,000 each for a three-day trip to Sydney, Australia. The amount was on top of the lavish room accommodations and dinners also shouldered by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said that the WB findings were “a welcome development” in their bid to remove Corona from office through impeachment.

“We could use the World Bank memo as evidence in proving the eighth article of impeachment against Corona, which pertains to his refusal to account for the judicial development funds, special allowances and other court collections,” Angara said.

One of the articles of impeachment filed against Corona is the misuse of the Judicial Development Fund (JDF) and the Special Allowance for the Judiciary (SAJ) to the National Treasury, amounting to P5.83 billion.

They also wanted Corona held accountable for the supposed misreporting of funds amounting to P559 million in allowances, general fund and JDF through careless preparation of bank reconciliation statements.

These acts of Corona, they said, were in violation of the policy of transparency, accountability and good governance.