‘AMLC head covering up President’s bank records’

Antonio Trillanes IV —EDWIN BACASMAS

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday threatened to sue the head of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for allegedly “covering up” President Duterte’s bank records.

In a statement, Trillanes said AMLC Executive Director Mel Georgie Racela had denied that the flagged bank transaction documents of Mr. Duterte came from the council when minutes of its meeting in May 2016 showed that it must provide the Office of Ombudsman the documents “for intelligence purposes.”

The senator said the sharing of documents was part of the memorandum of agreement between the two agencies.

Trillanes noted that Mr. Duterte appointed Racela to the AMLC post only in January 2017 so that the start of his term “doesn’t cover that time [the AMLC meeting in 2016].”

Last year, the AMLC rejected Trillanes’ request to release the President’s alleged “flagged or reported” bank transactions as this would violate the Bank Secrecy Law.

Trillanes disclosed his plan to sue the AMLC chief as he expressed full support for Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’ decision not to enforce Malacañang’s suspension order against Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang.

The Palace accused Carandang of disclosing the President’s alleged bank records.

“Mr. Duterte is very wrong here,” Trillanes said. “Besides the fact that the Ombudsman and her deputies are independent, according to the Constitution, he suspended those investigating his stolen wealth. It’s clear that this is obstruction of justice.” —MAILA AGER