Quezon City Representative Jorge Banal. congress.gov.ph photo
MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City Representative Jorge Banal has been invited to appear before the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, after he allegedly approached an official of the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) inquiring about bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
On Senator Loren Legarda’s prodding, PSBank branch manager Anabelle Tiongson revealed that she was approached by the congressman last Jan. 31, 2012.
“There was a certain person who approached me. He went to the branch,” Tiongson said.
And when Legarda asked who she referring to, Tiongson said, “Congressman Banal.”
Tiongson said Banal sought her help “to guide on certain items” but she turned him down.
“He did not ask me to produce anything. He presented sort of the photocopies,” she said.
“He presented himself, he introduced himself. He said that maybe I could help personally, in my capacity and then I said ‘I’m sorry that’s not possible.’”
Asked by Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile what help the congressman was asking from her, Tiongson said, “Just a guide on certain items, on the documents he was showing.”
“It wasn’t really clear what he wanted from me. He was just asking if I could guide him through the documents,” she said.
The documents she was referring to was a photocopy of specimen signature card of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“But he was partly covering it so I couldn’t see everything,” Tiongson said, saying the congressman was holding a two-page document.
The bank official said the congressman even asked her about a dollar sign.
“What is this? Is this a dollar sign? Something like that. And then when I said I can’t help him, he just left,” Tiongson said.
Tiongson said she asked Banal how he got the documents and the congressman supposedly said, “I will tell you as soon as you help us. Something like that.”
Pressed by Enrile what the exact words of the congressman were, Tiongson quoted Banal as saying “If you help us, I can’t tell you.”
Tiongson said she asked Banal how he got the documents and the congressman supposedly said, “So many people are helping us.”
It was Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who moved to subpoena Banal. But when the Senate resumed after a short break, it reconsidered its ruling and decided to invite, instead of subpoena, the congressman, citing parliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress.