Prosecution, defense debate on subpoena of Corona bank records

MANILA, Philippines – The controversy surrounding the issuance of a subpoena on the bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona was put to a debate before the Senate, acting as an impeachment court,  on Tuesday with Corona’s lawyers likening the subpoena to a general “search warrant.”

“It’s akin or similar to a general warrant,” said Corona’s lead counsel, former Supreme Court Justice Serafin Cuevas of the subpoena that was issued by the Senate.

Cuevas pointed out that the subpoena requested by the prosecution team mentioned all types of accounts – current, time deposits, mutual funds and all other financial instruments.

“Is it not convincing enough that’s it equivalent to a search warrant?” he asked.

Cuevas said the subpoena was “practically equivalent to a general search warrant” because it gave all the leeway to compel the presentation of the bank records as requested by the prosecution team.

While the defense does not question the authority of the impeachment body to issue the subpoena, Cuevas said there must be showing of materiality, relevancy of the documents sought.

The subpoena being questioned contained an attachment by the prosecutors of alleged specimen signatures of Corona with the Philippine Savings Bank.

In the request for the issuance, however, the prosecution team stated that the source of the document came from an anonymous source.

Despite this and the defense team’s objection, the Senate issued the subpoena to bank officials and records as requested by the prosecutors.

Ilocos Norte Rodolfo Farinas of the prosecution team reiterated that they did not vouch for the authenticity of the documents when these were attached in the pleading.

Cuevas reiterated their objection on the subpoena issued by the Senate.