MANAGER INSISTS THEY'RE FAKE
MANILA,
FEBRUARY 16, 2012 (philstar) By
Delon Porcalla - Malacañang assuaged fears yesterday that the leaked bank
documents on the multimillion-peso accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona were
spurious, noting that bank officials have in fact confirmed the accounts.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda pointed out that the
account numbers were found to be "accurate," as were the ending balances, as
testified to before the impeachment court by Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank)
president Pascual Garcia III.
"They do exist… those account numbers. And I think that has been proven right
by the PSBank president. What's very important here is that the account numbers
were accurate," Lacierda told reporters.
"What has been proven is that it is not fake insofar as the account numbers,
insofar as the figures are concerned. In fact, what has been presented were the
yearend balances, and the president of PSBank was able to disclose all the
yearend balances," he said.
Pascual and PSBank branch manager Annabelle Tiongson (photo at right)
have expressed fears that they could be penalized, together with their bank,
for violating the law on secrecy of foreign currency deposits.
"I suppose they're protecting their bank because there's a violation of the
bank secrecy law, so I would assume that the bank will do everything to protect
itself from liability under the bank secrecy law," he said.
Lacierda also made an effort to shield the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
from being dragged into the impeachment trial, following Tiongson's testimony
that the leaked bank records did not come from them.
"That's what she claims but we haven't called on the BSP so she (Tiongson) is
trying to pass the blame on to BSP. I don't know if that's a strategy," he
stressed.
He said that is something that the bank manager should answer to if it's not
true.
"It was being passed on to the BSP. It was a very slight but a very sly
inference accusation on the BSP," Lacierda said.
Corona bank records produced by subpoena
He also brushed aside the threat of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile – the
presiding judge – of the "fatal error" being committed by House prosecutors, who
apparently did not have evidence, and were only relying on their subpoena
powers.
"I think we have to qualify that because, for instance, bank documents, you
really cannot secure that without a subpoena. So some documents, for instance,
they only have photocopies. So how do you get the original (copies)? It is by
way of subpoena," he said.
He said he believes that the prosecution is doing its homework, but in some
instances, not everything is done by subpoena.
"For instance, the transfer certificates of titles owned by the Chief
Justice, they were secured even without a subpoena. I think what Senate
President Enrile was referring to were the bank documents but again, bank
documents cannot, because of the bank secrecy law, you really have to go through
a subpoena process or a compulsory process like subpoena duces tecum," he added.
'Little girl' handed over documents
The Palace also maintained, contrary to Enrile's pronouncements, that
it was indeed a "little girl" who turned over the bank records of Corona to
House prosecutor Rep. Rey Umali (photo at left) at the Senate, despite
the absence of CCTV footage showing that.
He also pointed out that he could not understand why questions regarding the
real existence of Corona's bank accounts still linger, since publisher Jake
Macasaet has already printed the bank details in his Malaya newspaper.
"There was a statement in the motion that Mr. Jake Macasaet, I think, was
already able to publish it in his paper about the existence of those bank
accounts. So it was not something that they claim to have illegally acquired,"
he said.
A. Put complainants on witness stand
Meanwhile, veteran lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the testimony
of any of the 188 congressmen who signed the complaint against Corona would be
necessary at this point to save the prosecution from observation by some
senator-judges that they are just fishing for evidence.
"With the discovery of alleged 'fake bank documents' which formed part of the
impeachment complaint, it is now high time for any of the 188
congressmen-complainants to be presented as witnesses to support their Articles
of Impeachment," he said in a statement.
Macalintal issued this challenge, explaining that each of the complainants
swore under oath that their allegations in the complaint are "true and correct
of their own knowledge or based on authentic records."
"As observed by Senator Enrile, the prosecution cannot merely rely on
'subpoenaed documents or subpoenaed witnesses' and derive information from them
as this would constitute fishing for evidence," he said.
Macalintal, an independent impeachment analyst, had also served as analyst of
NBN 4 during the impeachment of deposed President Joseph Estrada in 2000. He was
also petitioner in the Supreme Court case involving the impeachment of retired
Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. – Edu Punay
Bank exec insists prosecution docs fake By Jun
Pasaylo (The Philippine Star) Updated February 15, 2012 03:40 PMComments (43)
[PHOTO - Philippine Savings Bank branch manager Annabelle Tiongson
(right) confers with her lawyer before she testifies on day 18 of the
impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona on Wednesday. The impeachment
court grilled Tiongson on the bank accounts of Corona and her affinity with
chief prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. Photo by Ey Acasio, Senate
Pool]
MANILA, Philippines – Anabelle Tiongson, branch manager of PSBank-Katipunan
in Quezon City, today insisted that the bank documents leaked to the prosecution
are not authentic.
This after senator-judges grilled Tiongson on the authenticity of the
documents allegedly containing the bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona
as the impeachment trial continued for the 18th day.
"There are differences from the original documents. There are alterations of
entries," noted Tiongson.
"There were entries in the photocopies that were absent in the original, and
there were entries in the original that were not at the photocopies," she
reiterated.
She pointed out that there is no way that the statement of accounts obtained
by the prosecution came from their branch in Katipunan.
"The whole thing is fake. They are different from the original," she
reiterated, when asked on the authenticity of the entries of the bank
statements. "(Those) did not come from our branch. The documents did not come
from our branch," she reiterated.
Tiongson-Tupas connection
Senator Jinggoy Estrada earlier grilled Tiongson on her affinity
with prosecution leader, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.
Estrada disclosed the possibility that Tiongson knew Tupas.
Estrada cited that the father of Tupas -- Neil Tupas Sr. -- and a relative of
Tiongson ran as governor and vice governor of Iloilo together in previous
elections in the province.
"Are you acquainted with any member of the Tupas family," he repeatedly asked
the Tiongson.
"Personally, no your honor. I do not know them. We were not introduced and I
have never seen him," Tiongson answered to the repeated queries of Estrada.
Estrada, however, noted that there was an "obvious" connection between
Tiongson and Tupas.
The bank official is the witness of the prosecution on the alleged bank
accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona in PSBank-Katipunan branch.
"I reiterate, your honor, I do not know any of them," Tiongson said,
referring to the Tupases of Iloilo.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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