Senator Teofisto 'TJ' Guingona, at the Philippine Senate hearing of the committee on accountability of public officers and investigation, and committee on banks.
If casinos were under AMLA law, money laundering could have not happened- Guingona.
The US81-million money laundering controversy could not have happened if the casino were covered by the Anti-Money Launder Law (AMLA), Senate blue ribbon chairman Sen. Teofisto ‘TG’ Guingona III said on Tuesday.
”(And) what is clear, this would probably not had happened if the casinos were under the AMLA law,” Guingona told the media after a four-hour Senate hearing on the money laundering involving the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC).
”The funds can easily be traced until the casinos. Once it is in the casino, it seems it was a dark cave, it just one big cave, a black hole which we cannot trace anymore,” he added.
Based on the Senate inquiry, Guingona said the money entered the RCBC from New York and from RCBC, it entered to four fake accounts then went to one account allegedly owned by William So Go.
”It was proven that the account was not belonged to Go. It has been found it is fake. Nevertheless, the USD 81 million found its way to that account then part of it was converted into peso via PhilRem,” Guingona said.
Guingona said the Philrem Service Corp. admitted it already distributed the funds to three entities that were dealing with the casinos.
Asked who will be held liable in what he described as big conspiracy involving not only one person, Guingona said “that thing is not clear because as you saw, both of them are invoking either bank secrecy laws or invoking the right against self-incrimination.”
Maia Santos Deguito, manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Jupiter branch in Makati City, attended the hearing but invoked his right against self-incrimination.
”She, however, reiterated her intention to testify fully in an executive and confidential session in the best of her ability, while protecting her aforementioned rights at the same time,” Deguito’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said in a letter to Guingona.
Guingona said they found a lead from the bank manager.
”But it was clear to us that it is well-planned, more than a year ago and it could not have been done by one person. It need the cooperation of the banks, the remittance company,” Guingona said.
Guingona set another hearing on Thursday. (with PNA reporting by Jelly Musico)
Watch again the Senate of the Philippine’s Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the money laundering controversy below:
Sharing this much watched ‘WHAT IS A WOMAN’ documentary of conservative YT channel Daily Wire. On June 1, 2023, the documentary movie starring Matt Walsh of ‘What is a Woman’ was posted online via Twitter. In the first few hours of publication, the movie hit the proverbial stumbling block of […]
Her story resembles that of a script lifted direct from a tele-novela. This video is another installment in our continuing coverage of ordinary people sharing their experience during their married life. The resource speaker on this video supports the passage of the divorce bill in the Philippine congress. The speaker […]
Did regret came too late? A girl who transitioned to becoming a boy during teenage year speaks of great regret for having done so. Charlie Evans “became” male for close to ten years before making a turn-around from a decision made. Evans detransitioned in 2018. But will it recoup the […]
This is only a passing question for residents living around the City of Naga and also of towns nearby, and maybe of Camarines Sur province, too. Have you visited the Jesse Robredo museum yet? If not, then come on, let’s join Vice-President Leni Robredo show us around. The VPOP is […]
Canadians react with disdain on government officials, which include PM Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, due to garbage dumping in the Philippines. Watch how independent conservative YouTube channel shares reaction and more below: [At 1:40, notice the government official sitting right of President Duterte make face, reacting to […]
Sharing here the attendance of Vice President Leni Robredo during the 121st Independence Day rites this morning at Rizal Park in Manila. And below is the commemorative message of the vice president for the occasion: Sa araw na ito, bilang nagkakaisang lahi, ipinagdiriwang natin ang ika-isangdaan at dalawampu’t isang taon […]
A short clip derived from a PBS (US tv channel) documentary highlights a woman acquiring a “sense of peace” after aborting her two (twin) babies. The woman was shown getting clear instruction from the doctor on the dosage and timing of taking “medical” abortion pills. The doctor was so blatant […]
The most important and relevant documentary movie drops today. Will it be truth bites the plight of mass migration hurting Europe? We are referring to the much awaited “Borderless” movie by independent Canadian activist-journalist Lauren Southern and her team. After months enduring the rigors (and danger) of (clandestine) location filming, […]
Some world leaders, and even the mainstream media, didn’t get it. But at least, Pope Francis on Easter Sunday speaking after the special Easter ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message and blessing, expressed his “heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka] wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to […]
Daring independent journalist Lauren Southern is on the hot trail of the illegal immigration happening now in most of Europe. On this her latest reportage the daring Canadian exposes the alleged human smugglers and traffickers operating in Greece as NGO’s like the Emergency Response Center International. ERCI is a self-described […]
This should be the first walking tour for inmotion channel, I mean, a walking exploration. So here I was at the churchyard of the main Catholic church in my hometown which is the Parish church of Our Lady of La Porteria. Welcome to inMotion. And many thanks and appreciate for […]
Yes, totally true. The epic fails in Ilocos Norte. One of which was the “cable cart” ride which amused the passengers at first. Then afterwards lost the interest for the operator obviously had difficulty maneuvering the cart up its destination and back. But hey, it was a good try. The […]
Culled from the online news portal itself, Rappler reports agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa early Wednesday evening, February 13. The arrest was done in connection with a cyber libel case filed by the justice department. NBI officers in civilian […]
This Philippine province of almost two million people, or 1.9 (1,952,544) million warm bodies according to the official census count of 2015 is the biggest in the Bicol region in terms of population and land area. While it is rich in natural resources and beautiful scenic places, majority of its […]
I am back, yet again, after a long hibernation of sorts. I fixed some personal issues, settled what should have been done before and still in the process of accepting and facing some other health circumstances that is part of life. And then I completely pushed aside into the backburner […]
After posting the article covering the much vaunted Pantao regional port located in Libon town of Albay province we dig a foot deeper and decided to go ahead with an update and rejoinder about the project. Envisioned to boost a “robust economic corridor in southern Luzon, specifically for Daet, Naga […]
Time magazine’s 2018 acknowledged person(s) of the year (POY) received mixed reaction from netizens. Before the end of year, the US-based news magazine picks a POY of their choice who has done the most to influence the events of the year. This 2018, it came out with not one, but […]
As many expected, former Philippine senator Bong Revilla on Friday was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan of the plunder case in relation to the misuse of P224 million pork barrel funds. Pork barrel funds were coated as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of previous administrations. His co-accused, bussinesswoman Janet Lim Napoles […]
We get it. Bicolanos and travelers to and from the region will have to get used to flying and landing on four dated airports, one each in Legazpi, Pili (for Naga), Virac and Masbate. The one and only, but much vaunted, Bicol International Airport, or the Southern Luzon International Airport, […]
The domestic airport in Pili serving metropolitan Naga and the provinces of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte will soon be capable of catering to evening flight take-off and landing operations. The Naga airport, which is operated by the Air transportation Office (ATO) of the Department of Transportation and Communications, has […]
To get a good grasp of the illegal immigrant crisis in the United States (America), and in Europe (European Union), we are sharing below two video coverage, one for each. These are different takes on the massive migrant caravan that began marching from Central America, mostly coming from Honduras, with […]
The town of Daraga in Albay province, has total assets of P1.029 billion making it to the top of the list among the richest municipal local government units (LGU) for 2017, besting 106 others in Bicol region, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). Daraga, aside from topping the list, […]
Ownership of the University of Nueva Caceres change hands. Kind of. For decades, the Hernandez family of Naga city and Libmanan town used to own and manage the first and largest university in Bicol. But not anymore as the education arm of the Ayala Corporation, the AC Education, Inc., (AEI) […]
Naga City, Bicol’s financial, business, educational and religious capital now has a total net worth of over P4.675 billion, making it the richest local government unit (LGU) in the region, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). The City of Ligao, in Albay province, followed far second, with a total […]
Why Fuentebella’s Partido Development Administration got the axe. The administration is cleaning up the mess of the past. Or, so it seems. Recently, Malacañang abolished a Bicol-based Government Owned or Controlled Corporation (GOCC) created during the administration of former president Fidel V. Ramos. The Partido Development Administration (PDA) was snapped […]
While I am not required to explain why I am using English as the medium or language of this channel, I am too happy to explain why. Also, I think it is time to share our reason. Hello friends, Thank you for dropping by and watching this post. At the […]
Today, I temporarily place under my drawer the primary concern of growing more subs. Because today we go Chinese. I mean, I will talk in passing about the Chinese Zodiac as very soon the Chinese New Year will come with a bang on Feb 16, 2018 and end on Feb […]
The Malacanang palace on Saturday made known an official denial it has got no hand in the subpoenas issued by the National Bureau of Investigation to online xocial news network publisher Rappler chief executive officer (CEO) Maria Ressa and two others over cybercrime raps, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on […]
President Rodrigo Duterte has designated Undersecretary Rosalina Bistoyong as Officer-In-Charge of the Department of Agrarian Reform. She will occupy the vacated post of Rafael Mariano whose nomination was rejected by the powerful joint congressional Commission on Appointments last September 6. Bistoyong is a career executive service professional in the government […]
The residence of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog of Iloilo city on Thursday afternoon was the subject of initial inspection from a team of the National Bureau of Investigation.. Witness to the arrival of the inspection team include Ariel Castañeda, the head of the Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) of the […]
My English classes in Grade Six will be the first set of pupils under the K-12 curriculum moving up to Grade 7 come March this school year. At this point, even while it is too early, I try to foresee the probable challenges and impact on their learning curve due […]
President Rodrigo Duterte’s blogger-supporter and now amply rewarded as Assistant Secretary in the office of Presidential Communication Operations Office has courted, again, the ire of netizens, specifically Twitter users. This time, tweets criss cross the internet calling for the ouster or removal of the former sexy dancer from her Malacanang […]
Thanks to the long known advocacy of the Greeenpeace group, the 4th Annual sky lantern flying activity in Legazpi city was eventually canceled by its organizers. The organizers of the 4th Annual sky lantern flying activity have decided today to cancel the event after it was met with strong opposition […]
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas wants you to know that it would be very difficult to produce a counterfeit of the new generation Philippine bank notes now in circulation. With the very stringent process, the bank note paper used made up of cotton with Philippine abaca, and all other security features […]
In its disclosure with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Monday, the Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. (BDO) registered a P13.3-billion net income in the first half of 2017, much higher than the PHP11.7 billion in the same period in 2016. The leading unibank of the country traced the improvement of […]
Pope Francis Christmas 2013 message: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours (Lk 2:14) Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Christmas! I take up the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem […]
MANILA, March 4 — In the continuing hostilities in conflict-torn areas in Mindanao, government forces suffered yet another set of fatalities. Three soldiers, two of them officers, were killed after the resupply column they were in were mined and ambushed by suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Patikul town, […]
The Philippine peso finished its weakest under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday at P48.25 much noticeably lower than the P48.33 in September 15, 2009 but still far from the P47.16 of Nov. 10, 2015. Trying to explain the cause or identify the source as possible culprit, a […]
In the past few weeks, we featured five build-up guest posts with specific reference to prevailing human rights atmosphere in the PH. What a good “coincidence” that as the Philippines, and other nations of the world, observe today, December 10th International Human Rights day, president Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the department of justice (DOJ) to withdraw the charges against the Morong 43.
There must be rich memories spun and created behind the Bicol Teachers College and Bicol High School that alumni of the defunct twin institutions in Calabanga town keep a semi-active reunion dates. This, despite the graduates are now octogenarians and many are in far off places or gone to their […]
During the Senate hearing on the alleged money laundering case involving a Philippine universal bank Tuesday, OFW advocate Susan Ople disclosed that banks in more than 10 countries and territories have ended correspondent banking operations with Philippine-based banks and remittance companies. These foreign banks, include among others, are those in […]
I-Witness Account of the Quest for the Largest Human No-Smoking Sign in Albay Last June 28, 2013 on a bright Friday morning Albayanos converged in Albay park and orderly marched towards the football field of the Bicol University main campus. The massive event was in participation to the quest, and […]
What President Duterte Wants for Christmas from the USA, European Union and the UN? Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been busy and very generous, using his colorful loud mouth, at dispensing felicitations to the leaders and organizations of the world community. But instead of gaining more respect and stature, what […]
After the widely publicized news attributed to Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, about the unfinished Bicol International Airport and the Liberal Party candidates, the provincial chief executive clarified on Wednesday that his statement was misinterpreted. He said during the visit of People’s Reform Party senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino, a news correspondent […]
The Supreme Court of the Philippines (SCOTP) en banc on Thursday affirmed with finality its earlier ruling ordering the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to activate the printing of the voter receipt on the May 9 synchronized automated national elections. The justices voted 12-0. The ruling was made after the conduct […]
Ownership of the University of Nueva Caceres change hands. Kind of. For decades, the Hernandez family of Naga city and Libmanan town used to own and manage the first and largest university in Bicol. But not anymore as the education arm of the Ayala Corporation, the AC Education, Inc., (AEI) […]
Over the week, 75,000 board feet of alleged illegal logs from Partido area of the province of Camarines Sur were reported to be intercepted by the task force of the Bicol office of the environment and natural resources department. It was the second apprehension this year in the areas around […]
MANILA, Nov 20 — The Department of Budget and Management wants more money for its disposal. The agency is pushing for a P23-billion supplemental budget. Its main reason: to ensure sufficient funding support for crucial development initiatives, including various infrastructure projects for post-Yolanda rehabilitation and government preparations for the 2015 […]
It is really a big deal that Albay’s view deck zone and rest house was finally restored. Yet, there is the unanswered question on how come it was left being a white elephant for over a decade which concerned local government officials and, or, agencies did nothing. For over ten […]
Just mention The Bicol High School and The Bicol Teachers College and it will trigger enough interest and talk, and more of an endless poignant memory recall of its surviving and now aging students.
Fifty eight years last month, in November 18, 1952, the former mayor of Calabanga town unveiled a donation of a (cement) bench located at the plaza. Now with the onslaught of change and modest modernization, the bench still occupies its original location. But it has served its purpose and the passage of time clearly made its mark.
According to the Department of Education and Culture-Bicol about 1.6 million students will troop back to the region’s public elementary and high schools in today’s opening of regular classes. Chief administrative officer Jose B. Bonto of DepEd regional office, said this total number of students expected to return to schools […]
Watch the Canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. On the Second Easter Sunday Pope Francis presides over the Holy Mass for the Canonization of the Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II, St. Peter’s Square. Scheduled for Apr 27, 2014 Author Recent Posts Sr. Editorial Staff […]
PH holds kick-off ceremony on APEC 2015 hosting On Monday, the kick-off ceremony will be held in Makati City with President Benigno S. Aquino III leading the event. It will be hosted by the government’s partners at the Department of Trade and Industry which will be held at 5 p.m.The […]
MANILA, March 4 — In the continuing hostilities in conflict-torn areas in Mindanao, government forces suffered yet another set of fatalities. Three soldiers, two of them officers, were killed after the resupply column they were in were mined and ambushed by suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Patikul town, […]
Named respondents in the complaint of serious illegal detention filed by former Iglesia Ni Cristo minister Isaias Samson failed to appear at the hearing of the Department of Justice on Friday. Only complainant Samson and the members of his family with their legal counsel Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles made it to […]
A Bicolana stunner from Placer town of Masbate reigns as Sinulog 2016 Festival Queen. Cynthia Thomalla, the fairest of all contenders is a tourism student. The lucky lady also won eight special awards including Miss Photogenic, SM Sinulog Festival Queen, Miss OLX Philippines, Miss Kokuryo Cosmetics, Yamaha Rev Queen, Miss […]
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Davao doused cold water on the claims of a presidential candidate that anyone can buy drugs in the city. PDEA region 11 Director Adzhar Albani refused to be dragged to political mudslinging over the drugs issue in Davao City but defended the city’s […]
President Benigno S. Aquino III signed EO No. 203 on March 22 directing the Governance Commission for Government Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) to conduct compensation studies, develop and recommend to the President of the Philippines (POTP) a competitive compensation and remuneration system. which shall attract and retain talent at […]
