Senate grants Deguito’s request for respite

The Senate blue ribbon committee granted on Tuesday the request of former branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) for a weeklong respite from the committee’s ongoing investigation on the alleged $81-million laundering scheme.

The request of Maia Santos-Deguito was relayed by lawyer Rene Saguisag when the committee resumed the hearing shortly before 12 noon.

READ: Ex-RCBC branch head seeks respite from Senate probe

Deguito was the branch manager of RCBC-Jupiter St. in Makati City when she allegedly allowed the opening of five accounts in her branch used to receive and withdraw the $81 million funds reportedly stolen from the Bank of Bangladesh.

“Kung pauunlakan po at pagbibigyan kami (If you will grant our request), we’d be more grateful…” Saguisag said.

Deguito requested the respite due to her health problems amid the “stress and strain” of the probe.

“I think we can grant that so that after next week we can expect Ms. Deguito to appear,” Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the committee, said.

Guingona said the committee will have its next hearing on Tuesday, April 5. IDL