Corona has P20-M deposit in 2010 in PS Bank—official

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Renato Corona has close to P20 million in deposit as of 2010 in at least two accounts at the Philippine Savings Bank branch in Katipunan, Quezon City, a bank official revealed during the impeachment trial on Wednesday.

Testifying before the Senate, Pascual Garcia III, president of PSBank produced bank documents showing that Corona has a balance of P12,580, 316.56 as of Dec. 31, 2010 under account number 089-1211019593 and another P7,148, 238.83 for the same period in a separate account number, 089-121021681.

But in another account (089-1211019593), the documents presented by the witness showed that Corona has a P8,500,000 deposit as of Dec. 31, 2009.

In account 089-121011957 also in the name of Corona, the documents showed that he had a deposit of P5,01, 255.26 as of Dec. 31, 2007.

The succeeding years (2008 to 2010), however, showed that the account had zero balance and the witness said it was because the account had been closed.

The witness reported no record for account number 89-121017358 also in the name of Corona for the requested period of 2007 to 2010.

The bank official brought the records for only five of 10 accounts requested by the prosecution team.

Asked why he did not bring the records of the five other accounts of Corona, Garcia said they had to seek the guidance first of the Supreme Court for fear he would be exposed to any criminal liability.