Chinese in ‘money laundering’ could have ‘protectors’ – Gordon

Sen. Richard Gordon (Photo by Cesar Tomambo / Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines —  Chinese citizens who are engaged in a suspected money-laundering scheme are possibly being “protected” by authorities, Sen. Richard Gordon said on Saturday.

In an interview with AM radio station DWIZ, Gordon likened his theory to the so-called pastillas scheme, which involves airport immigration personnel accepting bribes for allowing Chinese workers to illegally enter the country.

“This [money laundering scheme] won’t happen without coordination with authorities and other places. They have protectors just like what was uncovered in the pastillas scheme,” Gordon said in Filipino.

Citing sources from the Bureau of Customs, Gordon said several dozen Chinese visitors carried more than $160 million, or P8.19 billion, worth of cash between December 2019 and February this year.

Gordon, who is also the chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, said he would conduct a probe into the suspicious illegal scheme.

/atm