FBI gives ‘verified’ info on Ping accounts

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has given Philippine authorities "verified information" on the alleged bank accounts being kept by Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the United States, a ranking Malacañang official said yesterday.

The official, who asked not to be named, said the FBI report confirmed the existence of at least $10 million in accounts belonging to the former national police chief.

"With this confirmation, we now have the goods on him (Lacson)," the Palace official said.

Earlier this month, Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) chief Col. Victor Corpus alleged that Lacson, during his stint as police chief, accumulated more than $200 million in overseas personal and joint bank accounts. Corpus claimed Lacson also laundered over $728.5 million earned from drug trafficking and kidnap-for-ransom activities.

The source refused to provide details about the contents of the FBI report, but said the documents would be de-classified and released at a later time and in a proper forum.

Corpus said yesterday witnesses have begun submitting sworn statements to US authorities for possible filing of money-laundering charges against Lacson in US courts.

"Our witnesses have executed their affidavits in the US because there are no anti-money laundering laws here. Hopefully, he (Lacson) will be indicted based on these affidavits," the ISAFP chief said.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said no case has been filed yet by Corpus against Lacson for alleged money-laundering activities in the US and Hong Kong.

"There is no case filed in our office so he won’t be arrested," Perez said in a radio interview yesterday.

‘Guilty of bribery’

A cause-oriented lawyers’ group called on the Department of Justice to file a case of indirect bribery against Lacson in the wake of the senator’s admission that he received a cellular phone from Chinese businessman Kim Wong.

"Lacson’s public and televised admission constitutes a plainspoken acknowledgment of his guilt under Article 211 (Indirect Bribery) of the Revised Penal Code, which punishes any public officer who shall accept gifts offered to him by reason of his office," said lawyer Argee Guevarra, spokesman for the group.

Wong, who has been accused by Corpus of being a drug lord, donated cell phones to Lacson and paid the monthly dues. Lacson admitted accepting the units but said he paid for them and regularly reimbursed Wong for the monthly payments.

In a related development, the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) asked the Arroyo administration to put Lacson’s aides under surveillance following the intimidation of a witness.

KMU chairman Crispin Beltran also said a Senate probe should begin at the soonest possible time to prevent Lacson from "getting back at witnesses."

"Lacson and his henchmen should not be allowed to intimidate or harm any of them," he said.

Earlier, a police officer identified with Lacson reportedly beat up a trusted aide of Mary Ong, the government witness who accused the senator of being involved in kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking.

Superintendent John Campos, a former live-in partner of Ong, allegedly mauled Ong’s aide Dominador Bartolata in San Juan.

Bartolata, who has been serving Ong for the last 11 years, said Campos wanted to know where Ong and her two children are staying. When he refused to tell, the aide was mauled by the policeman and was left with cuts and bruises. – With reports from Paolo Romero, Mayen Jaymalin, Sandy Araneta, Efren Danao