Bank teller faces raps for withdrawing clients’ money

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  â€“ A teller at a Banco de Oro (BDO) branch in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental is facing charges for perjury and falsification of private documents for allegedly withdrawing the money of about 30 depositors without their knowledge.

Among those accusing Alfonso Agravante is retired teacher Alfonso Pico Sr., 77, who said the teller withdrew more than P3 million from his account, according to an ABS-CBN report.

Pico, who is based in Canada, said he found out that his two bank accounts containing nearly P3.7 million had only P5,000 left when he went home to Kabankalan last May to attend his sister’s burial.

He discovered that Agravante, who used to live with them and to whom he entrusted his bankbooks, withdrew the money.

When he filed a complaint before the bank management, Pico found out that the passbooks given to him by Agravante were fake.

The report said Agravante has victimized 30 other depositors.

Barcelisa Mellendez, 82, discovered that someone had been regularly withdrawing from the account of her daughter, who is based in the US.

She said she entrusted the teller with her daughter’s account since he was close to her family. She said at least P1 million was withdrawn from her daughter’s account and the bankbook given to her by the suspect was fake.

BDO officials promised to pay the complainants.

BDO Manila media relations officer Marist Nagera said in a press statement last Tuesday that BDO is “currently investigating the matter.”