Key personalities invited in Senate probe on money laundering

Key personalities being linked to the reported money laundering scheme involving some $81 million have been invited as resource persons in the Senate investigation next week.

The list of resource persons invited in the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday included Maia Santos-Deguito, manager of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch on Jupiter Street in Makati City.

READ: Senate to probe $100-M laundering via PH, says Osmeña

Santos-Deguito is already being investigated by the RCBC head office for alleged violations of the bank’s money laundering and terrorist financing prevention program manual and for falsification of deposit account opening and other offenses listed by the bank’s human resources group.

She allegedly allowed the transfer of the $81 million, stolen by computer hackers from the US account of Bank of Bangladesh, into five accounts in her branch without thorough scrutiny, a violation of the bank’s know-your-customer rule.

READ: RCBC branch head: Rogue or scapegoat

The branch manager has also been accused of falsifying the opening of the foreign exchange account of William Go, owner of Centurytex, and one of the six people being investigated by the Anti-Money Laundering Council in connection with the said money laundering scheme.

Go and the other five alleged account holders—Michael Francisco Cruz, Jessie Christopher Lagrosas, Alfred Santos Vergara, Enrico Teodoro Vasquez, and Kam Sin Wong (Kim Wong)—were also invited in the said Senate hearing.

READ: 6 probed for money laundering

The list also included other officials of RCBC, Philippine National Bank, East West Bank and Banco de Oro; heads of Solaire Resort and Casino Manila, Resorts World Corporation/Midas Casino Hotel and Melco Crown Philippines/City of Dreams Casino.

Officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council led by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amado Tetangco Jr. and Securities and Exchange Commissioner Teresita Herbosa were also listed as resource persons.

Also invited in the hearing was Cristino Naguiat, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. RAM