Corona's wife quits govt job to avoid controversy

The wife of newly appointed Chief Justice Renato Corona has filed her resignation as president of a state-owned corporation to spare her husband from accusations of conflict of interest. Corona, whose appointment has been hounded by controversy, said his wife Maria Cristina resigned as president of John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) upon his request. The resignation will be effective June 30, the same day President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will step down from office. “Sinabi ko sa kanya, bitiwan na natin. Ayaw ko na kakong mabatikos dahil lamang sa walang kakwenta-kwentang (bagay)," Corona told dzMM radio in an interview Tuesday. (I told her to resign. I don’t want to be criticized over something that’s not even an issue.) Corona admitted that criticisms that his wife’s position in JHMC., which has several pending cases before the Supreme Court, might be in conflict with his new position as chief magistrate. JHMC, a subsidiary corporation under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), administers the John Hay Special Economic Zone in Baguio City. Corona said his wife has been working with JHMC since the Ramos administration, or even before he was appointed as associate justice of the Supreme Court. Mrs. Corona was appointed president of JHMC in 2007. Her appointment was one of the issues raised by members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) during the public interview of Corona as a nominee for the chief justice position. Corona, during the JBC interview, admitted that his family had been receiving death threats. During the dzMM interview, Corona said his family has been deeply hurt by accusations that he was a lackey of President Arroyo, and that he used his influence as Supreme Court justice to have his wife appointed JHMC president. “Ako po ay emosyonal kapag pamilya na ang pinag-uusapan. Naalala ko yung sakit na pinagdadaanan ng pamilya ko dahil lamang ako ay na-nominate sa pagka-Chief Justice. Apparently may mga taong ayaw sa akin," he said. (I tend to become emotional when it comes to my family. I remember how they suffered when I was nominated for chief justice. Apparently, there are people who do not like me.) - KBK, GMANews.TV