MANILA, Philippines — The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, votes 13-10 to abide by the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) on the opening of the foreign currency deposits of impeached Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.

A compromise to avert a more damaging constitutional crisis.

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But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile says the Upper Chamber is prepared to question the TRO and defend its position before the High Tribunal.

TRO means Temporary Recourse Only.

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“Obedience to the TRO preserves government stability, while disobedience precipitates a constitutional crisis. If we have a choice between stability and crisis, the wiser choice is always national stability,” says Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Another lecture from Senator-judge and Prof. M.

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Sen. Manny Villar says there’s a need to respect the TRO because there is $31 billion in foreign currency deposits (FCDs) that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is trying to protect to ensure a stable economy.

 No to bank run, Manny warns.

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But feisty senators who voted against respecting the TRO maintain that the issue is a “political question” and that the SC should have not touched on the exercise of discretionary power by the legislative branch, especially by the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court.

“Separation of powers,” they assert.

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At the continuation of the trial, PS Bank Katipunan branch Manager Annabelle Tiongson testifies that Chief Justice Renato Corona opened five time deposit accounts containing millions of pesos in May, 2007, twice in 2009, and twice in 2010.

The Crown’s peso accounts confirmed. What next?

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But Tiongson claims that the bank documents pertaining to the dollar accounts were “fake,” prompting Enrile to order the prosecution to explain with 24 hours why so.

Bank exec could just be avoiding liability for the “leak,” prosecutors claim.

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On the other hand, the counsel of Chief Justice Renato Corona get a dressing down and contempt threats from senators after they alleged that the lawmakers were getting bribe offers of P100 million each from Malacañang, with Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada denouncing it “in the strongest possible terms.”

Here comes a low blow. “Napakasakit, Manong Johnny,” senator-judges complain.

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Meanwhile, under pressure to show concrete accomplishments, the Aquino administration tries to assess the status of 8 PPP projects that are still being bogged down by unresolved issues, business groups say.

Time is of the essence. Please, resolve issues, Mr. President. Please, hurry impeachment trial, Your Honors!