Corona accounts not a banking industry issue: DOF
MANILA, Philippines - Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima believes the opening of Chief Justice Renato Corona's bank accounts is not an industry issue.
Purisima said the issue only involves a handful of people and if there is nothing irregular about it, then there is no need to worry.
The finance chief further said that those who have violated the law must be held answerable to the law to improve the system.
According to Purisima, private individuals should not worry since only accounts of impeachable officials may be opened and exposed by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
The finance chief refused to say anything concrete about the foreign currency account of Corona or amendments to the laws governing foreign currency deposits. According to him, it is up to Congress to review it.
On Thursday, the SC voted 8-5 to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) from releasing records of Corona's alleged foreign currency deposits.
Under the Foreign Currency Deposit Act, a disclosure of foreign currency bank accounts can only be made upon written permission from the depositor.
The senator-judges have scheduled a caucus on February 13, Monday at 11 a.m. to discuss the SC order.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, meanwhile, warned the Senate against deferring to the SC order stopping the opening of Corona's dollar deposits.
"It won't stop. Ngayon foreign currency deposits. Nagpaparinig na ang defense, sabi nila even in the peso accounts, they are going to say 'It's a fishing expedition.' What will stop them now from going to the SC and say 'Your honors, the peso accounts, while it has been revealed, was a product of the fruit of the poisonous tree.' That's another question of law. The SC will say, 'Teka, we have jurisdiction. We are going to rule on that.'
"They will emasculate every order of the Senate. That is why it is untenable for the Senate to consider to even defer to the Supreme Court even in interlocutory orders because the basis is grave abuse of discretion. E kung sa final judgment sabihin nila may grave abuse of discretion, di paano na?"
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Foreign Currency Deposit Act specifically states that a disclosure of foreign currency bank accounts can only be made upon written permission from the depositor.
The above paragraph these bankers keep saying like a litany.
What these bankers do not divulge is that such rule only applies to foreign business investors. Corona is not a foreign investors.
Boycott psbank n metrobank with same owner.
Sila ang pasimuno ng pagfile ng TRO
Sa supreme court because if hindi sila
Nagfile hindi naman pwede maglabas ng TRO ang supreme court
for the love of the Filipino people and our country
I will withdraw all of my accounts
From these banks.
Ang BPI hindi humingi ng TRO
ang psbank lang
Para pagtakpan si corona.
Si rizal nagpabaril para sa atin.
Tayo, the least we can do is
Show our disgust to Psbank n Metrobank
By withdrawung our accounts and sending
Them a note that we are disgusted with them
Protecting a person who stole from us
And kept it in their bank.
Parang ninakawan ka ni JUAN,
ipinatago nya kay PEDRO,
pinuntahan mo si PEDRO,
at sinabi mo kay PEDRO,
isoli mo sakin yung pera na ninakaw ni JUAN.
Ang sagot sayo ni PEDRO,
MANIGAS ka, kikita kami sa deposit na yan
Dahil lahat ng deposit dito may kita kami
Mula sa mga uutang sa amin.
Interest na Ibibigay namin sa depositors mga 3%. lang
Pero 10% singil namin sa uutang samin
Tulad ng business, housing at car loan
Tubong lugaw.
Wala kaming pakialam sayo kahit ninakaw sayo yung pera.