Prosecution: Banal can't be held liable for verifying leaked documents

Friday, February 17, 2012

MANILA -- The House prosecution panel said Quezon City Representative Jorge "Bolet" Banal could not be held liable for authenticating a "leaked" bank document with the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).

"Absolute, there's no liability," Deputy Majority Leader Romero Frederico "Miro" Quimbo told reporters Thursday after the Day 19 of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

On questioning by the senator-judges, PSBank Katipunan branch manager Annabelle Tiongson said Banal had gone to her to ask her assistance in verifying a document supposedly containing information pertaining to Corona's PSBank peso and dollar accounts.

Tiongson said she refused to help the lawmaker.

"If Annabelle Tiongson released information, then there could have been a violation of the Bank Secrecy Law," Deputy Speaker Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III said.

Banal said he found the one-page document lying on the floor in his driveway when he returned home on January 30. He said he never told anyone about the information he received. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)