Marriage doesn’t grant spouse bank access

Marriage does not make a person a joint account holder or authorized signatory to a spouse’s bank account, a branch manager of a government bank testified Tuesday, as Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense sought to distinguish marital ties from legal authority over bank accounts in her impeachment trial.

Raquel Vela Cerna told the Senate impeachment court that the bank maintains records identifying account holders and the persons authorized to operate their accounts.

“Being married to an account holder does not make the spouse an authorized signatory for that account,” defense counsel CJ Narvasa asked.

“Yes, sir,” Cerna replied.

Cerna also confirmed that the bank maintains account information for each individual account holder and sends statements and account notices to the address or contact details designated for that account.

The bank does not automatically send a separate copy of account notices to the account holder’s spouse, she said.

Nor does LandBank automatically notify a spouse whenever a deposit or withdrawal is made or provide the spouse with the account balance at the end of the year.

Narvasa then asked whether the bank verifies a person’s identity and authority before releasing confidential account information.

“Yes, sir,” Cerna said.

Asked what would be required before the bank could release account information to a spouse, Cerna said the bank requires a special power of attorney.

Cerna likewise agreed that a person does not automatically become an authorized signatory merely because he or she is married to the account holder.

She also confirmed that the bank does not automatically give a spouse access to the other spouse’s account through online banking.

“Marriage alone does not entitle a person to obtain the other spouse’s account balance directly from the LBP, correct?” Narvasa asked.