THE House prosecution panel claims it has tons of evidence to prove that Chief Justice Renato Corona amassed ill-gotten wealth with the help of his family.

A few hours before the impeachment trial formally started, the prosecution panel, composed of at least 11 lawmakers-prosecutors and several private lawyers, said that these properties were not declared in Coroan’s Statement of Assets,  Liabilites Net worth  (SALN).

“The properties that he admits to owning were not in his SALN except for one. So as to all other properties, I think that would be proven during the Senate hearing. Many of these were acquired after he has been appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court,” one of spokespersons, Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, said.

“We will certainly prove that our allegation that he did acquire the properties beyond his means,” he added.

Last week, the prosecution panel disclosed that Corona has a total of 45 properties, that include condominiums, and house and lots in Marikina, Quezon City and Taguig.

But Corona denied owning all the properties as he insisted that only five belong to him and his wife.

The prosecution panel has likened Corona to retired Major General Carlos Garcia who amassed ill-gotten wealth with the help of his wife and children.

Show of force

House members led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II have shown their support to the impeachment case filed against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Belmonte and the other lawmakers were among the early birds in the impeachment trial that started yesterday with the opening statements of both the prosecution and the defense panel.

According to Belmonte, they will stand squarely behind their decision of sending the articles of impeachment against Corona.

“We are attending the trial’s opening day in a show of solidarity with the overwhelming majority of our people who want to reclaim the Supreme Court and to affirm that we have signed the impeachment resolution freely and resolutely on the belief that Corona’s eviction from the High Tribunal would clear one major roadblock in the daang matuwid reform agenda of the Aquino administration,” the statement read.

Among the House members who expressed support to the 11-man prosecution panel were Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, An Waray Rep. Florencio Noel, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, Batangas Rep. Tomas Apacible, Misamis Occidental Rep. Loreto Leo Ocampos, Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, and Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio.