An official of a remittance company being dragged into the $81 million money laundering controversy admitted personally delivering some $18 million and another P600 million cash to a Chinese junket operator identified as WeiKang Xu.
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Salud Bautista, president of Philrem Service Corporation, told the Senate blue ribbon committee on Tuesday that she delivered P600 million to Xu allegedly on orders of Maia Santos-Deguito, the branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) on Jupiter Street in Makati City, who is at the center of the controversy.
It was Senator Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III, chairman of the Senate committee on banks, who raised about what he described as two “strange transactions” between the remittance company and the junket operator.
“You delivered P600 million in cash to a Mr. WeiKang Xu of Solaire. Do you know a Mr WeiKang Xu?” asked Osmeña.
“Your honor, he’s the beneficiary of the remittance,” Bautista said.
The senator then asked the Philrem official who gave her instructions to deliver the money to Xu.
‘The branch manager,” Bautista said.
Osmeña then asked Deguito, who was also in the hearing, if she could confirm Bautista’s statement.
“I will answer everything in the executive session,” Deguito said.
However, when asked if knows the junket operator, the branch manager answered no.
“You instructed somebody to deliver P600 million in cash to somebody you don’t know?” Osmena said, and added in jest, “Can you deliver it to me next time…?”
Aside from the P600 million cash delivery, Osmeña noted what he described as “more curious” cash delivery of $18 million to Xu, which Bautista also confirmed.
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Bautista said the $18 million funds were delivered in tranches—from February 5 to February 13, 2016.
“Is it possible to get $18 million cash?” asked Osmeña.
“Yes, your honor, and it’s not in a period of one time,” Bautista said.
“You’re the one who delivered, Ms. Bautista?” asked Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee.
“In the beginning, yes, your honor,” Bautista said, adding that in the end, it was their delivery men who delivered the rest of the funds. RAM