Is honesty still best policy?

Casino junket operator Kim Wong started fulfilling his promise on Thursday to return the money he received from Chinese high rollers who apparently took part in stealing $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank and laundering it in the country.

Kim turned over $4.6 million to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the first tranche of a total of P702 million he said he would eventually give back to the poor country.

What could be a more laudable act than what he did?

And yet, some members of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) belittle Kim’s heroic act saying that didn’t get him off the hook in their investigation into the $81-million laundered money.

AMLC has charged the Chinese-Filipino businessman and several others with money laundering.

“No, there is no quid pro quo here,” AMLC member Emmanuel Dooc said when asked by the Inquirer if charges against Wong would be withdrawn after he returned the money.

“There is no such arrangement,” echoed AMLC executive director Julia Bacay-Abad.

Instead of praising Kim, the two AMLC officials made statements implying he was a thief and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Did they listen to Wong testify at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing where he told everything he knew about how he got hold of the money?

Kim’s only fault—if it could be considered that—was to play host to the thieves who were long-time casino players who, at one time lost heavily and borrowed P476 million from him to recoup the loss.

How would Kim have known the money given to him to pay off their debts, and which his clients also entrusted to him for gambling, was stolen?

The $4.6 million was given to him by his guests for safekeeping.

And when Kim came to know the money was stolen, didn’t he

—without hesitation—say he would return it?

* * *

If Kim Wong were a dishonest person he could have kept the money.  The heck with the court case against him!

With such a huge amount he could pay off any judge who would try the money laundering case against him, what with some corrupt members of the judiciary.

While the case is on trial, Kim would be out on bail living the lifestyle of the rich and famous because money laundering is not a heinous crime.

* * *

In the 1970s, a Filipino couple received a windfall when the Mellon Bank in the United States mistakenly placed in their account millions of dollars.

The couple never returned the money.

But Kim Wong is much too honest and honorable not to return stolen money that he inadvertently acquired.