Defense asks Senate to wait for injunction on dollar accounts

Monday, February 13, 2012

MANILA -- Lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona have filed a motion asking the impeachment court to defer examination of his dollar account with Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) while waiting for a Supreme Court injunction against it to be served.

"Although the temporary restraining order (TRO) has not yet been served upon the Honorable Impeachment Court, it is respectfully prayed that examination of the records of the bank statements in question and testimony relating to them be deferred in the meanwhile," the motion signed by lawyer Jose Roy III read.

He said since the Supreme Court already announced Thursday that it would issue a TRO that PSBank asked for to protect bank employees from potential charges for breaking bank secrecy under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act, neither the court nor the prosecution "should be allowed to take advantage" at the TRO not yet being served.

Roy said receiving documents and testimony "subverts the very thing that the temporary restraining order seeks to accomplish."

He said that if allowed, damage to Corona and his family would be "instant and irreparable."

On Sunday night, defense lawyers accused Malacañang, through Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., of calling up senators to convince them to disregard the TRO. They said a bribe of P100 million each had been offered in exchange.

Senators, including Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, have denied being contacted and offered bribes. The allegations may be taken up at a caucus scheduled for Monday before the impeachment trial in the afternoon.(Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)