MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte should consider abolishing the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for failing to monitor and arrest potential money launderers who brought a total of $633 million into the country.
Sen. Richard Gordon said AMLC sat down on the report of the Bureau of Customs on the entry of large amounts of money into the country.
“Tanggalin niya ‘yang AMLC dahil hindi ginagawa ang trabaho, at idemanda. Ikulong ‘yan dahil talagang economic sabotage ang ginagawa,” Gordon said.
He added: “Walang silbi’’yang AMLC eh. ‘Yung head hindi alam ‘yung sinasabi.”
During the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, it was revealed that the amount of money suspiciously brought into the country reached $633,028,880 from September 2019 to March 2020.
“Sinasabi niya wala raw siyang bala. Eh anong gagawin mo? Customs nagsumbong sa kaniya tapos sasabihin niya huwag munang file-lan ‘yan dahil wala tayong bala,” said Gordon.
The foreign money were brought in by 60 individuals, including Chinese and Filipino nationals, from Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok, added Gordon who chaired the committee.
Gordon also said a certain Elizabeth Rodriguez was able to transact 58 times, bringing in wads of cash amounting to a total of $42.5 million, from September to February.
On Tuesday, Gordon presented a list of 47 individuals, including Filipinos and Chinese, who flew in and declared a total of $447 million or P22.69 billion in cold cash as they entered the country from September 2019 to February 2020.
Gordon warned that this could potentially be connected to the money laundering activities involved with the Philippine offshore gaming operators.
Section 4 of Republic Act 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 defines money laundering as “a crime whereby the proceeds of an unlawful activity are transacted, thereby making them appear to have originated from legitimate sources.”/PN
