Senate must subpoena bank execs, says Santiago

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. FILE PHOTO/SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has asked the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, to subpoena the branch managers of nine local banks where Chief Justice Renato Corona had allegedly kept his multi-million dollar deposits.

Santiago made the request immediately after the Senate resumed its impeachment trial a little past 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

The nine banks she referred to were those mentioned in the testimony of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who testified in the trial Monday.

The nine banks were Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) in Acropolis, San Juan; BPI-Tandang Sora; BPI in San Francisco del Monte; BPI Management Investment Corp.; Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) in Cainta; PSBank in Katipunan; Allied Bank Corporation; Citibank; and Deutsche bank.

But Senate President and presiding officer, Juan Ponce-Enrile, decided to hold in abeyance the court’s decision on Santiago’s request.

Enrile said the matter has yet to be discussed in a caucus of senators next week.