Atty. Karen Jimeno said President Aquino cannot dictate on Corona whether or not he can have a dollar account. This, after the President challenged Corona on Friday to present information on his dollar accounts if he has nothing to hide.
Jimeno said the money in Corona's dollar accounts were part of his savings before he became Chief Justice. Then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Corona as an associate justice of the Supreme Court in April 2002. She named him chief justice in May 2010.
Jimeno said the defense, when they present their witnesses, will have a chance to explain the accounts of Corona.
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?"
Source: ABS-CBNNews.com
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