Senate legal counsel, BPI exec summoned

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the legal counsel of the Senate and a former branch manager of the Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI) to appear in court and testify in the trial of jailed former President Joseph Estrada in four criminal cases, including the capital offense of plunder.

Acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, who chairs the anti-graft court’s special division hearing the cases against Estrada, directed lawyer David Jonathan Yap, Senate legal counsel, and Christine Marie Tabo, former assistant manager of the BPI branch in Greenhills, San Juan, to appear in court on Dec. 9 and 11.

Nazario asked Yap to bring in court original copies of the bank documents, which the United Overseas Bank (formerly Westmont Bank) submitted to the Senate impeachment court in compliance with its subpoena dated Jan. 5, 2001.

Being sought by the Sandiganbayan include original copies of the account-opening documents such as the specimen signature card for account 2011-00772-7 under the account name Eleuterio Tan; deposit slips dated Aug. 28, 1998 as well as those dated Aug. 31, 1998 for the total amount of P90 million; the request for additional cash provision for the branch to prepare itself for the withdrawal of the P90 million on Aug. 31, 1998; the receipt issued by the branch acknowledging the cash provision; and withdrawal slips dated Aug. 31, 1998 for P20 million, P30 million and P40 million.

Nazario also ordered Yap to bring in court the original copies of the statement of accounts for account 2011-00772-7 and the certified true copy of the subpoena dated Jan. 5, 2001, which the Senate impeachment court issued to the United Overseas Bank.

Tabo, on the other hand, was instructed to bring in court original copies of the applications to open an account, specimen signature cards, account deposit and withdrawal slips and other documents pertaining to the account of the Saint Peter Holdings Corp., which was opened with the BPI under account no. 0381-0124-41.

He was also asked to bring original copies of the applications to open an account; specimen signature cards and statement of accounts pertaining to BPI account no. 0383-0748-27 of Jose Luis Yulo; and deposit slips showing the deposit of Equitable PCI Bank check 0110-714951 on Oct. 6, 1999 and Urban Bank check for P50,000 on Oct. 8, 1999 in the Yulo account.

The Sandiganbayan also wants microfilm copies of Equitable PCI Bank check 0110-714951 and the Urban Bank check for P50,000; withdrawal slips, checks and bank instructions to transfer funds in the Yulo account to the account of the Saint Peter Holdings Inc.; manager’s checks nos. 14593 and 14596 issued in October 1999; applications for these manager’s checks and other documents related to these transactions involving the Yulo account.

Aside from plunder, Estrada is also being tried for two perjury cases, which stemmed from his alleged misdeclaration of his statement of assets and liabilities (SAL) and net worth for 1998 and 1999, respectively, and alleged illegal use of alias Jose Velarde.