Equitable-PCI freezes 9 Ricaforte accounts

Equitable-PCI Bank officially froze yesterday nine accounts, containing some P11.1 million, allegedly belonging to jailed former President Joseph Estrada but listed under the name of his alleged personal accountant Yolanda Ricaforte.

In a compliance report, Equitable-PCI Bank first vice president Manuel Curato told Sandiganbayan Sheriff Edgardo Urieta the bank had already caused the garnishment of all Ricaforte’s deposits in the bank.

The garnishment of Ricaforte’s bank accounts was ordered by the third division of the anti-graft court, chaired by Associate Justice Anacleto Badoy.

The Ricaforte accounts include six savings and three current accounts containing a total of P11,135,606 in six Equitable PCI Bank branches.

The prosecution claims the Ricaforte accounts are part of the ill-gotten wealth, supposedly amounting to P4,097,804,173.17, which Estrada allegedly amassed during his 31 months in office.

Ricaforte, who fled to the US after Estrada was ousted on Jan. 20, was the personal accountant whom Estrada allegedly employed to secure his share of the protection money from jueteng operators.

In granting the prosecution’s request for a writ of preliminary attachment, the anti-graft court acknowledged the prosecution’s fear that the accounts and other properties "may be withdrawn, concealed, removed or dissipated, stashed away or disposed of."

Deputy Overall Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio said government lawyers had originally sought to include the accounts of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation under the freeze order.

The foundation’s accounts were deposited under the name of Estrada’s lawyer Edward Serapio, also accused in the plunder case, in the Equitable-PCI Bank branch on Ortigas Avenue, amounting to P201,396,572, and at the United Coconut Planters Bank, with P10,089,403.

The anti-graft court, however, excluded the foundation’s accounts in the freeze order, saying there was no proof the "subject deposits are in the name of any of the accused (Estrada and his son Jinggoy, Ricaforte and Serapio among other people)."