Osmeña sees more fireworks over CJ bank records
MANILA, Philippines - Expect more fireworks in the Senate impeachment trial as Chief Justice Renato Corona's defense team challenges the presentation of Corona's bank records in the proceedings.
Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said the Senate had to decide on whether or not it would grant the House prosecutors' request for several alleged peso and dollar accounts of the chief justice.
Osmeña said the majority decided to grant the subpoenas since the Supreme Court made exceptions to the Bank Secrecy Law in 3 different cases.
He said the court also ordered the banks to give the year-end balances of Corona's bank accounts "since the law states that you must declare your assets and liabilities as of December 31st."
The senator said he proposed that the banks submit a monthly report to reflect the actual movement in Corona's accounts but he was outvoted.
Asked how he would assess the bank records, he said: "Pag nakita ko may P100 million diyan, you did not declare this in your SALN. There's some subjectivity there because suppose it's only P1 million e di sasabihin ng tao that's not much. The difference between P23 million to P24 million, so what."
"But if it's P30 million or P40 million wala sa SALN, then you would find more serious reason to doubt whether he really deliberately liked to fudge his SALN," he said.
The senator-judge said the Senate only granted the subpoenas for accounts named in the prosecutors' request. These include an account that prosecutors claimed had an initial deposit of “$700K”, which it interpreted to be $700,000 (around P38 million in October 2008).
He said that while the Senate granted the subpoenas, the impeachment court had yet to decide on whether it will allow the records to be presented as evidence.
"That is when the big fight will come in. Right now, we are just identifying and marking it but it doesn't mean that the prosecution has already offered it [as] evidence because the moment they do, of course the defense will stand up and challenge that. Dun magkakaroon ng bakbakan ulit," he said.
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â–¼ Leaked documents of bank accountâ–¼
Limpak limpak na salapi
parang kasing yaman si pacquiao
kaya pala kaya bumili ng napakadaming properties...
http://vvvvv magazine ph/bank-docu-leaked
A highly probable case of money laundering
It is said flight is a sign of guilt, so same with refusing to show accounts. The banks should understand that this is a matter of national concern, as it is a case of massive corruption, of plunder.
Money laundering is the result of a predicate crime, which includes graft and corruption, and plunder. The AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Act) states :
Covered & Suspicous Transactions
• Covered transactions are single transactions in cash or other equivalent monetary instrument involving a total amount in excess of Five Hundred Thousand (P500,000) Pesos within one (1) banking day
• Suspicious transactions are transactions with covered institutions, regardless of the amounts involved, where any of the following circumstances exists:
• there is no underlying legal/trade obligation, purpose or economic justification; the client is not properly identified;
• the amount involved is not commensurate with the business or financial capacity of the client;
• the transaction is structured to avoid being the subject of reporting requirements under the AMLA;
• there is a deviation from the client’s profile/past transactions;
• the transaction is related to an unlawful activity/offense under the AMLA;
• and transactions similar or analogous to the above.
A man of integrity would do anything to clear his good name.
The way I see it, the only way Corona can truly win in this situation is by volunteering to share his bank records with the impeachment court. Sure, his savvy legal team can probably cook up a brilliant plan to get the bank records suppressed. But, if you have nothing to hide, why would you want to do that? I'm sure Corona knows that if his bank records don't come out, there will always be a BIG question mark on his honesty and integrity, even if he were to hurdle this impeachment trial. He will never win back the trust of the Filipino people. And, his kin will forever carry the stigma of the Corona name, and the stigma of having benefited from ill-gotten wealth. If you have nothing to hide, why fight it? If you TRULY want to clear your good name, why fight it? If you TRULY want the trust of the Filipino people, why fight it? A man who values his reputation would not hide behind the shroud of bank laws and right to privacy when his back is against the wall. In this case, I believe Corona's back is against the wall.
â–² Leaked documents of bank accountâ–²
Limpak limpak na salapi