Columns condo turned over
only in 2009, says defense witness

Columns building manager Benz Lim (pool photo)

THE BUILDING MANAGER of the Columns Condominium where Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife Cristina bought a unit in 2005 says the Coronas only took full custody of their condo unit in 2009.

Defense lawyers presented Columns project administrator and building manager Benz Lim to try to establish why Corona did not declare the Columns condo in his SALN until the year 2010.

Senator-Judges had been wondering why Corona did not declare the Columns condo in his earlier SALNs, when the unit was fully paid as early as 2004.

Lim presented what he called a master list of unit owners of the condominium. The master list was drawn up by Ayala Land, the developer of the condominium, in 2009.

Lim said that according to the master list, the Coronas were only listed as unit owners of the Columns on August 12, 2009.

Lim however could not say when the physical turnover was done.