MANILA, Philippines – Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the House prosecution panel will likely seek a reconsideration of the Senate impeachment court’s decision disallowing subpoenas compelling the testimony of associate justices of the Supreme Court.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Colmenares said the Senate’s decision is a challenge to their mission to prove Article 3 on the probity and integrity of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Colmenares said one possible solution is if one of the Supreme Court justices, either Martin Villarama, Lourdes Sereno or Presbitero Velasco, volunteers.

No justice has volunteered so far.

House prosecution spokesman Lorenzo Tañada III noted that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile already said that the Senate prefers for the justices to volunteer.

Prosecution spokesman Marikina Rep. Romero “Miro” Quimbo hopes those among the justices who believe in reforms will come forward.

PSBank accounts

Meanwhile, the prosecution noted the discrepancies between Corona’s declared cash for 2010 and his bank statements for at least two accounts with the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).

Quimbo said the accounts show that as of 2010, Corona has P19.7 million in cash, but he only declared P3.5 million.

Quimbo said this just shows another pattern of inaccuracies. He noted that neither PSBank nor Corona have denied that the accounts are in Corona’s name.

He also said Corona’s petition invoking the protection of the foreign currency deposits act (FCDA) is already a direct admission of ownership.

Quimbo advised PSBank that they cannot be held liable for possible violations if they testify since they are covered by a lawful order of the court.

Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, another spokesman for the prosecution team, said more information will come out once the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) account is opened. The BPI account of Corona was used to pay off the purchase of the Taguig properties.

Tañada added that if the Senate doesn’t take a stand on the FCDA, then what all government officials will do in the future is open dollar accounts to invoke the protection of the law.