Ex-RCBC branch manager Deguito arrested for perjury

Maia S. Deguito AP File Photo

MANILA — The former Jupiter St-Makati branch manager of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) linked to the $81-million Bangladeshi bank heist was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Makati City.

Initial information from the Southern Police District said Maia Santos Deguito was served a warrant of arrest for perjury about4:45 p.m. inside the Power Plant Mall in Barangay Poblacion.

Deguito was arrested by elements of the Makati City police warrant and subpoena unit led by Senior Insp. Noel Aviles.

Deguito was sacked by the RCBC because the branch she headed processed the withdrawals of $81 million stolen via electronic heist from the New York account of the Bangladeshi central bank months ago.

She had testified before a Senate inquiry that the $81 million had been withdrawn when she received a stop payment order from the bank’s headquarters.

Deguito said she was told by RCBC treasurer Raul Tan that it was not the bank’s problem that most of the funds stolen from the Bangladesh account in a New York bank had been withdrawn when the request to hold them came.

She said that prior to the withdrawals, RCBC regional sales director Brigitte Capina effectively said there was no reason to hold the funds after these were flagged by the bank days earlier.

As manager of the RCBC branch on Jupiter street in Makati City, Deguito has been implicated in the laundering scheme. She has since been removed from her post.

Days ago, the RCBC was fined P1 billion by the Philippine government’s monetary authorities for negligence and failure to stop the withdrawals of the $81 million.  SFM