THE House prosecution panel has asked the defense team to explain why the wealth of Chief Justice Renato Corona had swollen in 2010, the year when he was appointed to the top post of the Supreme Court.

Prosecution spokesperson Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara noted that in both PSBank and Bank of the Philippine Islands, Corona’s cash deposits grew in 2010.

In fact, Angara said, Corona was able to maintain huge deposits in two banks despite claims that he bought a penthouse in Bellagio tower in the same year.

Reports said that the cost of the Bellagio property is P14 million.

“We must take note that the 2010 ending balance on his two accounts alone of almost P20 million was posted after he had purchased the Bellagio property,” Angara said.

In BPI, Ayala branch manager Leonora Dizon disclosed in the impeachment trial that Corona’s checking account increased from P149,767.36 in 2005 to P12,024,067.70 in 2010.

On the other hand, PSBank president Pascual Garcia III testified that Corona was able to open five peso accounts in PSBank which are still active containing almost P20 million at the end of December 2010.

Angara said it looks like Corona was awash with cash that year because he still managed to keep a lot of money in the bank despite having bought the controversial penthouse unit in Taguig City for P14.5 million.

Also, Angara questioned Corona why he only declared P3.5 million in his 2010 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).  Jester Manalastas