MANILA, Philippines—It is possible that an official of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) could be the source of the allegedly leaked bank records of Chief Justice Renato Corona that were given to the House prosecution team, Senator-judge Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said Monday.
At the same time, Senator-judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago said even if the one in possession of a questionable document does not know its source, he or she is considered a thief.
“I am convinced that it is not PSBank (Philippine Savings Bank) who leaked the documents but the AMLC when they conducted an audit of the bank’s Katipunan Branch,” Estrada said.
“If a person is found in possession of signature cards which is absolutely confidential, he cannot say, without more evidence that he does not know how he comes into its possession, the presumption is that he is the thief,” Santiago said.
Estrada, on the other hand, noted that in the bank’s documents, there are other entries for 2011 not indicated in the copy of the prosecution team.
The said papers refer to bank-related documents filled out by Corona. It was attached by the prosecution team in the supplemental request for subpoena. Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali said it was given to him by a “small lady” while Quezon City Representative Jorge Banal said it was left at the gate of his house.
PSBank president Pascual Garcia III identified the AMLC representative who was with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as Jerry Leal.
He said they have provided him with a copy of Corona’s signature card for which they commented that they failed to indicate the word “PEP” or Politically Exposed Person.