MANILA, Philippines (2ND UPDATE) - The prosecution is expected to move on to another impeachment article next week, as it moves to expedite the presentation of evidence and witnesses to attest to the truthfulness of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth of Chief Justice Renato Corona today.

Prosecution spokesman Miro Quimbo told ABS-CBNnews.com that they will finally wrap-up their case in article 2 this week.

In today’s hearing, they will present again real estate firm executives to testify on the property purchases of Corona and his family.

They will then present next week Article 3, which alleges that Corona “committed culpable violations of the Constitution and betrayed the public trust by failing to meet and observe the stringent standards under Article VIII, section 7 (3) of the Constitution that provides that “[a] member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.”

The prosecution changed anew the sequence of the presentation of their case, deciding to present next the above article since it is anchored on a “storyline.”

Yesterday, the finance director of Megaworld said Corona and his wife, Cristina, paid for a P6.1 million-McKinley Hill property, which was registered under the name of their daughter, Ma. Charina.

The prosecution also alleged that Corona was able to get P10 million discount for a penthouse unit in the Bellagio in Taguig City.

A private prosecutor claimed this can also be attributed to article 3 of the impeachment complaint, which discusses the alleged lack of integrity on the part of Corona.

The prosecution will also bring to the stand today an official from the Securities and Exchange Commission to testify on the existence of Basa-Guidote Enterprises.

Corona supposedly took a cash advance from the firm, which is owned by his wife’s family.

Price adjustment or gift?

In a separate interview with ANC, Quimbo said the P10 million discount Corona got for the purchase of the Bellagio property is a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct and the Anti-Graft Law.

The defense said it was a price adjustment, as was indicated yesterday by the prosecution’s witness. Megaworld finance director Giovanni Ng said Megaworld gives as much as 20% discount, but depending on market eventualities such as the global recession, there will be more price adjustments.

“Do we take it to mean it was bought at P40,000 per square meter by the Chief Justice and yet the cost of construction was P44,000 per square meter? We don’t need a rocket scientist to say it was given for a particular consideration because he was a chief justice. Was that discount given to other clients of Megaworld?” Quimbo asked.

He denied the prosecution implied that Corona was able to get the discount out of favor for Megaworld, which has cases at the Supreme Court.

Later in the interview, however, he said: “obviously, he decided a case previously in favor of Megaworld.”

He said this puts to question the integrity of Corona, who has been diligently telling judges that they should not accept substantial gifts so as not to make suspect their decisions.

Quimbo added that the defense is now racing against time to plug the alleged holes in Corona’s SALN.

He said Corona declared “as an afterthought” several of his properties in his latter SALNs.