Press Release
March 14, 2012

SENATE MINORITY LEADER ALAN PETER S. CAYETANO
Manifestation on day 28 of the impeachment trial of CJ Corona
Re: Clarificatory questions addressed to witness Mr. Demetrio Vicente

SUMMARY

Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano manifested during Day 28 of the impeachment trial several clarificatory questions addressed to Mr. Demetrio Vicente in order to clarify some issues that may or may not affect the judgment of the court and at the same time, test the credibility of the witness' testimonies.

Among the underlying issues addressed by the clarificatory questions of Sen. Cayetano were:

  • The steps undertaken by the witness in purchasing the Marikina property allegedly owned by Chief Justice Corona and his wife.

  • Witness reiterated the process from which he purchased the property as stated in his testimony prior to Sen. Cayetano's questioning

  • The financial capacity of the witness to purchase the property

  • Witness clarified his sources of income in 1990

  • The pertinent information stated in various documents presented by the witness such as the Deed of Sale and the Property tax receipts, among others.

  • Witness clarified the figures stated in the documents

  • The personal and familial relationship of the witness to the Corona couple

  • Witness stated that they are relatives by blood but have not communicated with each other in the past 20 years nor do they have any close personal ties.

ACTUAL MANIFESTATION

ASC: Magandang Gabi Mr. President. Ginoong witness, magtatanong po ako sana sa inyo at magka-clarify din po.

Witness responds.

ASC: Ayoko po kasi Mr. Witness na magkamali dito. Kung ano man ang magiging paghusga namin, kung guilty o innocent, gusto ko makasiguro kami. Hindi ko po kinukwestyon ang integridad ninyo. Pagpasensyahan niyo po ako at magtatanong ako.

Bubusina lang po ako at mawalang galang po sa ilang mga tanong if it seems like I'm questioning your previous statements. Hindi po yun ang intensyon kung hindi para lang po tayo hindi magkamali mamaya (sa paghusga).

Narinig niyo po yung sinabi ng prosekusyon? Ang teyorya nila ay nagtatago po ng property ang Chief Justice sa inyo. Yan ang parang gusto nilang palabasin. Pero ang sinasabi ng depensa at sinasabi ninyo, hindi totoo yun at talagang binili ninyo ang property. Tama po ba?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Sige po. Parang ang gusto nilang palabasin na nagtatago ang Chief Justice ng properties sa inyo pero lumalabas ngayon na sa inyo yun, baka kayo pa po ang nagtatago ng property sa pangalan niya dahil nasa pangalan pa niya.

Ito po ang tanong ko: Noong 1990 noong binili ninyo, bukod po sa pagbenta ng property niyo, ano pong trabaho ang pinagkakakitaan ninyo noong panahon po na yun?

Witness states that he rents out property.

ASC: Gaano po kalaki yung property niyo sa Tandang Sora noong panahon na yun? More or less lang po.

Witness responds that the lot is 1900 square meters and the house at around 200 square meters.

ASC: So mga monthly po, magkano po ang pumapasok sa inyo na kita ninyo?

Witness states that when he had 5 properties he was earning 30,000-40,000 a month.

ASC: Sa madaling sabi, gainfully employed at may pambili kayo noong panahon na yun.

Witness affirms.

ASC: Tapos yung sa lupa, nagpagawa naman po kayo doon sa bagong binili ninyo kay Mrs. Corona.

Witness affirms.

ASC: Saan po kayo tumira habang ginagawa yung bahay?

Witness responds that he resided beside the Marikina property for four months.

ASC: Mga apat na buwan po kinostruct yung bahay na yun?

Witness responds that it took longer than four months due to lack of funds.

ASC: Magkani po ulit yun bili ninyo sa lupa?

Witness states that he bought it for P1 million as stated in the absolute deed of sale.

ASC: Iba po ba yung halaga ng pagbili ninyo kaysa sa nakasulat sa dokumento?

Witness states that it is the same.

ASC: So P1.18 million po. Magkano naman po yung pagpapagawa ninyo ng bahay ninyo?

Witness estimates that it cost around P2 million.

ASC: Naubos niyo po yung pinangbenta ninyo ng bahay ninyo?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Malaki po ba yung ipon ninyo noong panahon na yun?

Witness states that his savings was depleted.

ASC: Ang kinikita niyo, yun na halos ang pangbayad ninyo?

Witness states that he has no more profit because he sold all his units.

ASC: Itong mga titulo po, it refers to 2 lots? Gaano kalaki po yung pitong titulo?

Witness corrects, saying that he had 8 titles that refers to 2 properties.

ASC: You just consolidated all these? Gaano po kalaki yung buong lote na yun?

Witness answers that the property has 3,400 square meters.

ASC: Doon na po kayo tumira?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Simula po noon hanggang ngayon, mayroon po bang tumutulong sa inyo sa pagbabayad ng buwis o kayo na po mismo? Kayo po bang pumupunta sa Marikina?

Witness states that he does it himself.

ASC: May kasambahay po kayo? May katulong po o driver?

Witness affirms, stating that he has 2 helpers.

ASC: Kaya ko po ito tinatanong para ma-ascertain ko at ng ilang senator-judge kung sa inyo po talaga yun . Maaring pinagamit lang sa inyo at pinabantayan.

Witness denies.

ASC: Noong nagka-stroke po kayo sino po ang nagalaga sa inyo?

Witness states that it was his wife.

ASC: Close ba ho talaga kayo sa magasawang Corona o hindi? Pakidescribe po yung relationship niyo sa kanila.

Witness states that they had a huge age gap but got reunited with him through a broker.

ASC: Sino po yung broker?

Witness states that he does not remember.

ASC: Kasi po kanina, late po ako kasi masama ang pakiramdam ko. So pinapakinggan ko po kanina si Atty. Cuevas na tinatanong kung ano ang relationship niyo kay CJ Corona. Sabi niyo, inaanak, kinakapatid diba?

Kaya lang noong tinanong ka kung naguusap ba sa telepono, sinabi niyong hindi.

Witness affirms.

ASC: Pero bayad na po kayo sa mga Corona?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Kasi usually pag-20 years kayong di nagusap, either may utang o tinataguan o kaya magkagalit. So kung close po talaga kayo, sa mga party po ba o sa family gathering hindi po kayo nagkikita?

Witness states that since both their fathers died, they have lost contact.

ASC: Kasi doon po nagkakaroon ng diskusyon ngayon kung bakit kayo nagtiwala at hindi niyo nilipat yung titulo at sinabi niyo close kayo. Pero ngayon sinasabi niyo po na magkadugo kayo pero hindi naman kayo naguusap.

Witness denies that they are close relatives.

ASC: Pero second cousins din po kayo?

Witness states that Corona's mother is his godmother for his wedding.

ASC: But aside from that, sa dugo related din po kayo?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Pero kung close po kayo in the sense na meron po ba kayong personal relationship?

Witness states that they did not.

ASC: Yet nagtiwala po kayo?

Witness states that he trusted Corona as a son of his father's friend.

ASC: Noong isang araw po, napanood niyo po yung madre sa TV?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Noong napanood niyo po ba na may away sila sa property, di po ba kayo nagdalawang isip na ilipat po yung titulo?

Witness states he did not.

ASC Tiwala po kayo even if hindi kayo ganoon ka-close?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Ibig sabihin po, kilalang kilala niyo sila pero wala lang kayong personal relationship? But because of your parents and his parents, nagkakaroon kayo ng relationship o pagkakakilala?

Witness affirms.

ASC: Last question po. Hindi po kayo nagisip na baka mabenta ulit itong lupa ninyo? Kasi hindi po naka-annotate man lang.

Witness states that he did not.

ASC: Yung anak niyo po nasa abroad pa po o andito pa?

Witness states that his child will leave soon.

ASC: Salamat Mr. Vicente. Yung lang po. Magiging napaka-essential yung testimony mo sa desisyon namin kung kanino ba talaga ang property.

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