By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — A lawmaker claimed the camp of Second Gentleman Manases “Mans” Carpio must explain to the Senate how a supposed “system glitch” turned P2 million in bank inflows into P2 billion in Anti-Money Laundering Council records presented during the House impeachment hearings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The call comes after Carpio’s lawyer, Atty. Peter Paul Danao, told reporters Monday that the Bank of the Philippine Islands flagged 13 covered transactions worth P2 billion as a “system glitch” and that the real figure should be P2 million.
“Kung titingnan niyo po ‘yung report… meron po do’n nakalagay sa bandang dulo na may P2 billion do’n na sinabi ng BPI system glitch,” Danao said. “Nagkamali po ang BPI. Hindi dapat P2 billion ang andoon.”
BPI on Monday said it “does not disclose client information or transaction details, except as required under applicable legal processes.”
The bank added that it complies with BSP regulations and provides clarifications to the proper authorities when necessary.
The controversy stems from an April 22 House Committee on Justice hearing where AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura reported P6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions involving Duterte and Carpio from 2006 to 2026.
Danao called the P6.7-billion figure “a lie” and “pure propaganda,” saying Carpio “does not have that P6B amount.”
He argued the AMLC report simply added all transactions over 20 years and failed to explain how the total was computed.
House members Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno cited Section 3 of R.A. 1405, or the Bank Secrecy Law, which exempts impeachment proceedings from the prohibition on disclosing bank deposits. “Impeachment is an exemption,” Diokno said.
Diokno added that AMLC did not release specific bank records, only reports of covered and suspicious transactions.
Carpio’s camp filed criminal complaints recently before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr., AMLC’s Buenaventura, and Reps. Gerville Luistro, Percival Cendaña, Chel Diokno, and Leila de Lima for alleged violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, bank secrecy, and data privacy laws.
“You cannot weaponize the AMLC… for political propaganda and political persecution,” Danao said.
ia/xf
