Deguito may be a no-show, says lawyer

Maia S. Deguito, former Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) branch manager, testifies before the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into how about $81 million of Bangladesh’s stolen funds were transmitted online to four private accounts at a branch of the RCBC Tuesday, March 15, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. AP File Photo

CITING health problems, Maia Santos-Deguito has requested a weeklong respite from the Senate inquiry, which resumes today (Tuesday), into the alleged $81-million money laundering scheme, her lawyer, former Sen. Rene Saguisag, said Monday.

“She has health problems in a situation full of stress and strain, since last Feb. 9, allegedly of having knowledge that the P4 billion had been moved from banks in New York—scene of the original sin—to the RCBC main office and finally her Jupiter Street branch, where it was remitted to parts of unknown,” Saguisag said in a statement to the Senate blue ribbon committee.

Saguisag said the former branch manager “begs on bended knees for a respite until after April 4, after which, she commits dutifully to participate in further proceedings, expecting to regain her health and balance by then.