THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is investigating the reported “leakage” of 10 peso and dollar accounts of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona with the Philippine Savings Bank.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the impeachment court presiding officer, revealed this yesterday as he asked PSBank president Pascual Garcia III whether the bank records of Corona were “supplied” by any bank officials or employees of PSBank to the House prosecution panel.

The Senate, sitting as impeachment court, has ordered Garcia to bring along on Monday next week Annabel Tiongson, the PS Bank Katipunan, Quezon City branch manager to explain who among the bank officials or employees have access to Corona’s bank documents.

“This court is in possession of information regarding this leakage. And in fact, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is conducting an investigation regarding this leakage. This has a greater meaning to the nation with regard to the integrity of the banking system. So, bring the manager here to answer questions,” Enrile told Garcia.

This developed as the impeachment court has decided not to tackle any issue involving the dollar account of Corona with PSBank following the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Supreme Court stopping the senator-judges from scrutinizing the chief magistrate’s supposed $700,000 deposit with PS Bank. 

“In deference to the Supreme Court, the interpreter of the Constitution and guardian of the basic rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights, this chair would like to suggest that the prosecution panel to take heed. Let us discuss other issues other than the foreign currency deposits because of the presence of TRO by Supreme Court,” said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the impeachment court’s presiding officer.

According to the House prosecution team, Corona keeps the following dollar accounts with PS Bank: 089-141008145, 089-141007469, 089-141007129, 089-1310002826, and 089-191000373. The prosecutors also alleged that the chief magistrate opened the following peso accounts with the same bank: 089-12111957, 089-121021681, 089-121020122, 089-121091593, and 089-121017358. Garcia has confirmed the existence of all these accounts.

Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a member of the prosecution team, claimed last Monday that he obtained Corona’s supposed bank documents, such as specimen signature cards, minutes after the impeachment trial ended last Feb.2 from an unidentified “short lady.”

During questioning by Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, Pascual said that he was not aware that the prosecution panel had attached photocopies of Corona’s bank records in their twin requests to summon concerned officials of PS Bank and Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) to testify on Corona’s supposed peso and dollar accounts with their respective banks.

“Do you accept that that material (Corona’s bank documents) came from your bank?” Enrile asked Garcia to which the latter said: “We do believe that that does not come from our bank. As far as we are concerned, the (bank) documents (of Corona) that floating around did not come from the bank.”

The bank executive said that he cannot confirm the authenticity of the photocopied documents of Corona’s bank records with PS Bank because “there seems to be some differences.” Garcia said that those who have access to bank records of their clients are the tellers, customer service officers, and bank managers.

Not satisfied with Garcia’s answer, Enrile again asked the former who the possible source of Corona’s leaked bank records could be. “From heaven? There must be an origin. A rat and ipis (cockroach) goes to your bank to photocopy the bank records?” the Senate chief asked Garcia. To which he replied: “The information from this account did not come from us.”