Corona told to answer tax evasion charges until October 25

MANILA -- Former Chief Justice Renato Corona has failed to convince the Department of Justice to give him three more weeks to submit his reply regarding the P150-million tax evasion case filed against him and two relatives by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Corona asked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to push the deadline to November 5 but the three-man panel of prosecutors handling the investigation opted for October 25 instead.

Corona, who celebrated his 64th birthday Monday, was no-show for the third time. He also failed to appear in the hearings scheduled on September 25 and October 5.

His co-accused and daughter Carla was present along with husband Constantino Castillo III to personally submit their counter-affidavit.

According to the BIR, Corona deliberately failed to pay P120.5 million in taxes as a result of his acquisition of pricey condominium units and a house during his 10-year stint at the Supreme Court.

Carla was also charged for violating section 254 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) or attempting to evade or defeat taxes in 2010 and violating section 255 or failing to file an income tax return for the same year.

Constantino, a physician, is likewise cited for evading taxes in 2003 and 2009 and failing to file an ITR in 2003. Both have an accumulated income of less than P3 million yet they were able to buy P43.5-million worth of properties in Quezon City.

The couple's tax liabilities are estimated at P30 million. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)