No meeting ever held to approve P11M cash advance, says Mrs. Corona's aunt

MANILA, Philippines - Relatives of Chief Justice Corona's wife Cristina have questioned an P11-million "cash advance" made by the country's top magistrate from Basa Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI).

BGEI is a company owned by Cristina Corona and her family.

Speaking to ABS-CBN from America, Randy Basa, the aunt of Cristina Corona, said "We recently became aware that Renato Corona declared in his SALN a business interest in BGEI. He declared in his statement cash advances from the corporation from 2003-2009. There was no meeting held nor any authorization to authorize cash advances. My husband was one of the original stock holders of the corporation. I think we deserve some answers."

Randy Basa is the widow of Jose Basa III, a brother of Mrs. Corona's mother Monina Basa-Roco.

Randy Basa, the aunt of Cristina Corona, speaking to ABS-CBN from America

The Chief Justice declared in his 2003 SALN an P11-million "cash advance" from BGEI, which appears to have been used to purchase a 1,200-square-meter lot in the exclusive La Vista subdivision in Quezon City in the same year.

However, a report from journalist Raissa Robles published by ABS-CBNnews.com narrates how the Securities and Exchange Commission had revoked BGEI's registration in 2003, the same year Corona purportedly received the cash advance.

Robles reported that BGEI ceased to operate legally by 2007, or three years after revocation of its registration.

Corona's SALN, however, indicates he continued to repay the cash advance from his wife's company in 2008 and 2009.

By 2010, it appears he had fully repaid the cash advance.

Mrs.Corona's relatives in America now want to know who the Chief Justice was paying the loans to, if at all he was authorized to make such a cash advance from BGEI, and who authorized it.

Lawyers of the Chief Justice, however, explain that this is a family quarrel that has nothing to do with the impeachment complaint against Corona.

"Patunayan nila. Kung mayroon silang complaint, magcomplain sila. Bakit hindi sila lumabas?" said Corona spokesman, Atty. Ramon Esguerra.

"Bakit ngayon lamang sa kasagsagan ng paglilitis sa kaniya sila lumalabas at nagvo-volunteer na kung anu-anumang mga bagay laban sa mga Coronas?" he said.

Esguerra also explained that at some point, Cristina was able to gain control of 95% of the corporation.

Her relatives, however, maintain the Corona couple used their position to wrestle control of the family corporation.