‘Jose Velarde account had over P476-M deposits in 10 months’

An Equitable PCI Bank teller testified at the Sandiganbayan yesterday that over P476 million were deposited to the controversial Jose Velarde account in 10 months from September1999 to July 2000.

Returning to the witness stand, Glyzelyn Bejec, customer service assistant teller of Equitable PCI Bank, told the anti-graft court’s special division, chaired by acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, that she personally attended to the deposits during the 10-month period.

According to Bejec, the deposits were made on Sept. 13, Nov. 8 and Nov. 25, all in 1999, and on July 5, 2000.

She recounted that the Sept. 13, 1999 deposit included four P10-million Allied Bank checks, totaling P40 million; three Metrobank checks for P30 million, P13 million and P10 million; and two Global Bank checks worth P25 million each.

Less than two months later on Nov. 8, 1999, an additional P263.292 million was deposited to the account.

This included, she said, the alleged P189.7-million commission of former President Joseph Estrada from the purchase of Belle Resources shares of stocks by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS); an Asian Bank check amounting to P20 million; and two Urban Bank checks amounting to P10,875,749.03 and P42,716,554.22.

According to Bejec, the last two checks worth P30 million and P40 million, were deposited on Nov. 25, 1999 and July 5, 2000, respectively; the latter issued by a certain Antonio Evangelista.

"All these checks were only given to me by my manager and I was the one who personally processed them," she said.