Miriam berates prosecution
re ‘fake’ bank documents

SENATOR-JUDGE Miriam Defensor Santiago berated prosecution lawyers for presenting to the impeachment court bank documents which later turned out to be spurious or ‘fake.’ and warned them that they could be disbarred for the incident

In yesterday’s impeachment hearings, Philippine Savings Bank Katipunan branch bank manager Annabelle Tiongson branded as “fake” the client information card that prosecutors claimed that Chief Justice Renato Corona filled out when he opened bank accounts with PSBank. Prosecutors had attached a photocopy of the document to their motion for a subpoena for the full bank records.

On the 17th day of the impeachment, prosecutor Rodolfo Farinas said that prosecutors had made it clear in their request for a subpoena of the PSBank documents that they were not certain of the authenticity of the client information card that they attached to their request. Farinas said the prosecutors stated in their motion that the bank document that they attached to their motion was provided by an “anonymous source.”

But Santiago angrily warned the prosecutors that they could be liable for several criminal and administrative sanctions, ranging from contempt of court to disbarment.

“Hindi nyo pala alam kung ano yun, bakit ninyo kami sisingilin,” Santiago said. “If you bring this to any trial judge, you will be cited for contempt.”

“If I were a judge, I would say you are wasting my time. (I would say) Sheriff, take him to city jail,” she added. “Pag nagbigay ka ng peke na dokumento, pwede yan basehan for disbarment.”