Palace aide defends QC lawmaker’s caper

MANILA, Philippines—A Palace aide on Friday said Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal’s meeting with Philippine Savings Bank branch manager Anabelle Tiongson shows the House prosecution panel’s resolve to prove Chief Justice Renato Corona’s guilt in his impeachment trial.

“It shows that the whole prosecution team is working hard to pursue their case. Whatever effect that may have on the proceedings will be determined by the senators,” said Abigail Valte, a spokesperson of President Aquino.

On Thursday, Banal told the Senate impeachment court that he talked to Tiongson in an attempt to verify Corona’s bank records, an alleged photocopy of which, he claimed, was left by an unidentified person at the gate of his residence in a subdivision in Quezon City.

He said Tiongson denied his request and asked him where he got the document.

Banal was summoned to the impeachment trial to explain his side shortly after Tiongson revealed that he approached her at the PSBank Katipunan branch in Quezon City last Jan. 31 seeking her assistance on verifying the supposed photocopy of the Chief Justice’s bank document.

Tiongson said Banal told her that he would reveal the source of the document if she cooperated. She said did not accommodate the lawmaker’s request.

“I’m sorry if I caused any problem. I just wanted to help our team,” Banal told the impeachment court.