‘AMLC part of Duterte wealth cover-up’

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is part of the cover-up of the Duterte accounts, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said yesterday as he again pressed for a Senate probe into the alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Trillanes said investigators cannot expect cooperation from the AMLC in probing alleged secret bank accounts of President Duterte and some members of his family as the council is headed by a Duterte appointee.

The opposition senator said this is the reason the Senate committee on banks, headed by Sen. Francis Escudero, should proceed in earnest in investigating the alleged accounts.

He noted that based on the statement of the Office of the Ombudsman, the only reason its investigation into the alleged accounts was stopped was the refusal of the AMLC to submit “vital data, specifically, detailed bank transactions” of Duterte.

“Let us remember that the executive director of AMLC (Mel George Racela) was appointed by Duterte and has since been proactively protecting his political master,” Trillanes said in a statement.

“Now, in the interest of transparency and accountability, I am calling on the Senate committee on banks to conduct an inquiry so we could summon the AMLC and question the legality of its refusal to comply with the ombudsman’s request,” he added. 

He said “the truth about this very important issue is stored in the data storage of AMLC and BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands),” where Duterte allegedly has deposits.

He stressed the ombudsman’s investigation can be reopened anytime if the AMLC will fully cooperate in any probe.

 Trillanes earlier said he was thinking of filing complaints against Racela, who was appointed September last year, for obstructing investigation.

 The ombudsman had said it was closing the probe triggered by a formal complaint from Trillanes after it could not secure data from the AMLC.

The senator had accused Duterte and members of his family of having a total of P2.4 billion in various accounts in BPI opened a few years back.

The Senate has yet to formally act on his resolution asking the committee to conduct an inquiry.

Senators from the majority bloc said the inquiry would be a waste of time given the heavy workload of the chamber.

Meanwhile, Solicitor General Jose Calida said it was the constitutional duty of the Office of the Ombudsman to announce that they have terminated the investigation on the alleged hidden wealth of President Duterte. 

Calida reacted to the office’s statement that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales inhibited herself from the investigation and that the fact-finding or field investigation on the complaint filed against the President was closed and terminated on Nov. 29 last year after the Anti-Money Laundering Council declined to provide a report or confirmation on vital data.

“Granting that (Morales) inhibited during the fact-finding, the case was already ‘closed and terminated’. There is nothing more to inhibit from,” Calida posted on Twitter.

The Office of the Ombudsman “has the constitutional duty to publicize this matter, as it involves the President of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.

He also raised the conflicting statements of the Office of the Ombudsman since in October last year, it said the documents in its possession came from the AMLC.– Evelyn Macairan