/ CJ $ ACCTS SAVINGS PRE SC JOB
MANILA, FEBRUARY 11, 2012
(PHILSTAR) By Dennis Carcamo - President Benigno Aquino III today
dared Chief Justice Renato Corona to allow the disclosure of his dollar bank
accounts.
In an ambush interview with reporters, the President challenged Corona to
give his consent to banks officials to testify and open these questionable banks
deposits to scrutiny by the Senate impeachment court.
"Maganda sana magboluntaryo na 'yung nasasakdal kung walang tinatago: 'Bakit,
buksan ninyo para makita ninyo wala akong tinatago,'" Aquino said.
Aquino made the statement in reaction to the Supreme Court's issuance
of a temporary restraining order (TRO), preventing the public disclosure of
foreign currency accounts maintained by Corona in the Philippine Savings Bank
(PSBank).
President Aquino also said that the SC's TRO might send a wrong signal,
enticing even criminal syndicates to hide behind the high court to keep their
ill-gotten stash and properties secret from the authorities.
"Huwag naman natin sigurong hinihikayat 'yung mga drug lord ng ibang bansa,
"Halikayo punta kayo dito sa Pilipinas, dito hindi masisilip 'yan," he added.
Corona's dollar accounts in the PSBank allegedly amounts to at least
$700,000, which President Aquino would prove that there was a big discrepancy in
the Chief Justice's declared assets and liabilities.
A majority of eight justices voted in special full-court session to issue a
temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the Senate from implementing its
subpoena on five foreign currency accounts in the PSBank reportedly in the name
of Corona.
Those who voted for the issuance of a TRO were Associate Justices Teresita
Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, Lucas Bersamin, Roberto Abad, Martin Villarama
Jr., Jose Mendoza, Jose Perez and Bienvenido Reyes.
Five magistrates dissented: Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and
Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Mariano del Castillo, and Ma. Lourdes
Sereno and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.
Sereno and Bernabe are appointees of President Aquino to the high court.
The high court, meanwhile, deferred action on the petition of Corona seeking
a TRO on the entire impeachment trial proceedings.
The SC directed the parties to first answer the petition in 10 days before
the justices discuss whether to issue the TRO.
Corona's dollars are savings before he joined SC: Jimeno
by Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News Posted at 02/10/2012 4:28 PM | Updated as
of 02/10/2012 7:06 PM
MANILA, Philippines - A spokeswoman of Chief Justice Renato Corona's defense
team on Friday said Malacañang should not meddle with Corona's dollar accounts
because it is not a crime to own one.
Atty. Karen Jimeno said President Aquino cannot dictate on Corona whether or
not he can have a dollar account. This, after the President challenged Corona on
Friday to present information on his dollar accounts if he has nothing to hide.
Jimeno said the money in Corona's dollar accounts were part of his savings
before he became Chief Justice. Then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed
Corona as an associate justice of the Supreme Court in April 2002. She named him
chief justice in May 2010.
Jimeno said the defense, when they present their witnesses, will have a
chance to explain the accounts of Corona.
On Thursday, the SC voted 8-5 to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO)
stopping Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) from releasing records of Corona's
alleged foreign currency deposits.
Under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act, a disclosure of foreign currency bank
accounts can only be made upon written permission from the depositor.
The senator-judges have scheduled a caucus on February 13, Monday at 11 a.m.
to discuss the SC order.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, meanwhile, warned the Senate against
deferring to the SC order stopping the opening of Corona's dollar deposits.
"It won't stop. Ngayon foreign currency deposits. Nagpaparinig na ang
defense, sabi nila even in the peso accounts, they are going to say 'It's a
fishing expedition.' What will stop them now from going to the SC and say 'Your
honors, the peso accounts, while it has been revealed, was a product of the
fruit of the poisonous tree.' That's another question of law. The SC will say,
'Teka, we have jurisdiction. We are going to rule on that.'
"They will emasculate every order of the Senate. That is why it is untenable
for the Senate to consider to even defer to the Supreme Court even in
interlocutory orders because the basis is grave abuse of discretion. E kung sa
final judgment sabihin nila may grave abuse of discretion, di paano na?"
A lawyer of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona said the Supreme Court's
move stopping the Senate from compelling Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) to
present documents on the foreign currency deposits of Corona is a positive
development.
"It's a positive note. It confirms the confidentiality of bank FCDU [Foreign
Currency Deposit Unit] records but since it is not our application, it is not in
any way an indication on how the SC will act with regards to our motion,"
defense counsel Tranquil Salvador said.
The Supreme Court, in a vote of 8-5, has issued an indefinite temporary
restraining order (TRO) on the subpoena issued by the impeachment court on
Corona's alleged dollar accounts in PSBank.
"If the impeachment court does not heed the TRO issued by the SC, the action
will be taken by PSBank, not by us because we are not a party to this," Salvador
added.
He said a Supreme Court appointee of President Benigno Aquino was among the 8
justices who voted in favor of the TRO.
"Magandang indikasyon ni Justice [Bienvenido] Reyes kahit appointee siya ni
PNoy na nakikita nila yung dahilan kung bakit dapat sundin ang batas," Salvador
said.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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