Zubiri urges gov’t to relax bank secrecy law to trace drug money
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. NQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Saying it would be “genocide” to kill all drug suspects, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has instead called on the government to just support a bill seeking to relax the Bank Secrecy Law so it could trace drug money through bank accounts.
Zubiri offered this solution to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa Tuesday during the Senate committee on justice and human rights’ hearing on the spate of killings in the country.
“Meron na po kaming panukala dito pero kelangan po natin ng push sa Malacañang para sa ganun ay matulungan po namin kayo. Dagdag ngipin ito, kasi hindi nyo na po kaya…kung uubusin nyo lahat ng pusher, genocide na po yan because that’s already 50,000 pushers baka magka- genocide na tayo dito hindi na po pwepwede yun,” he said.
(We have many proposals but we need Malacañang’s push so we could help you. This will give more teeth because if you would eliminate all the pushers, that would be genocide because that’s already 50,000, that’s not allowed.)
“But we have to give you the tools to fight the problem of drugs and one of the tools, you find the money general, you’ll will find the syndicates,” he said.
The senator cited as an example how Guatemala was able to go after big syndicates and big personalities, including its own president, by tracing their bank accounts and with the help of other countries.
“This is also in line with the President’s fight against corruption kasi galit din po tayo sa (because we condemn the) corrupt public officials and as you’ve exposed, the President’s exposed unfortunately, ang daming generals, ang daming mayors pati congressmen pati iba’t-ibang mga (there are so many generals, mayors and congressmen and different) appointed officials of government in the executive are part of this drug mess that we are in,” he said.
“That’s why in aid of legislation and to follow Guatemala’s example, would you agree General dela Rosa that dapat buksan na natin itong Bank Secrecy Law dahil sa sobrang higpit nitong bank secrecy law tayo ay naging tambayan ng lahat ng sindikato lahat ng magnanakaw, lahat ng smuggler at operator of different vices dahil hindi sila nahuhuli (we should relax the Bank Secrecy Law because our country is being the hub of syndicates, thieves, smugglers and operator of different vices because of this). Sang-ayon po ba kayo (Do you agree that) in aid of legislation that we also revisit the bank secrecy law?” Zubiri asked.
Responding to the senator, Dela Rosa said: “Yes your honor, the PNP has nothing to lose. The PNP has everything to gain.”
Senator Leila de Lima, chair of the committee, and Senator Panfilo Lacson also backed Zubiri’s proposal, saying they have separate bills on the matter.
After getting the support of his colleagues, Zubiri then asked the PNP chief if he could help them convince Malacañang to push for the passage of such bill in Congress. RAM/rga
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