MANILA, Philippines - House chief prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. on Wednesday denied rumors that he has multimillion-peso accounts in Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).

Text messages circulated on Wednesday said Tupas has a P158-million time deposit, a P36-million savings account and a P5.22-million current account at PSBank Katipunan branch.

PSBank Katipunan is the same branch where Chief Justice Renato Corona had P19 million in savings as of December 2010, according to bank records.

Tupas said efforts to link him to PSBank Katipunan and its manager, Annabel Tiongson, insinuate that he was able to procure bank documents for Corona's impeachment trial.

He denied ever setting foot at PSBank Katipunan or meeting Tiongson.

"Wala po akong bank account sa PSBank," he said. "I have never met Tiongson until she appeared on the witness stand."

Sen Jinggoy Estrada, however, said he does not believe that Tiongson and Tupas do not know each other. He said he respects Tupas' position that he said he does not know Tiongson.

Estrada had previously pointed out that Tiongson and Tupas both hail from Iloilo. He said Tiongson’s first cousin, Roberto 'Obet' Buenaflor Armada, was vice governor when Tupas’ father and namesake was governor.

He also revealed that Tiongson’s cousin, Obet, ran as vice governor in 2010. His running mate then was Raul Tupas, who ran for governor. The latter is Tupas’ brother.

No mistrial

Meanwhile, Tupas said he does not think the Senate impeachment court will allow a mistrial in the impeachment proceedings against Corona. He maintained the Senate is the sole trier of impeachment cases.

In regular cases, when a mistrial is declared, the case is re-tried in another court.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, however, noted on Wednesday: "The guilt or innocence of the defendant is not subject to appeal in any court."