The Anti-Money Laundering Council has admitted that it erred when it reported that Vice President Jejomar Binay had billions of pesos in 242 accounts, and is now telling a Manila court that he had only one account with a balance of P1.7 million in the vice president’s name, a spokesman for Binay said Tuesday.
“In its filings with the Manila Regional Trial Court, the AMLC admitted that only one bank account under the name of Vice President Binay, with a balance of only P1.7 million, and not billions as the agency earlier claimed, should be the subject of the asset protection order,” said Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, president of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.
Tiangco said that aside from correcting its claim about Binay’s bank accounts, the AMLC also asked the court two weeks ago to drop JC Binay Foundation and Agrifortuna Inc. from its petition due to a lack of evidence.
“For more than six months, these accounts have been subjected to a thorough examination by the AMLC. The account holders became objects of ridicule and character assassination. And now AMLC says they goofed? Ano, sorry na lang?” he added.
Tiangco said Binay, UNA’s standard bearer, sees the release of the outdated report as part of a well-orchestrated plot to destroy his reputation and stop his mission to win election as president.
“We have reviewed the headline published this morning in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, particularly the portions lifted by the PDI reporter from a supposed AMLC report. While we do not have a copy of this report, we can deduce that the said document appears to be the basis for the petition praying for an asset protection order filed by the AMLC before the Manila RTC last November 2015 or almost four months ago,” he said.
“Last year, AMLC claimed that these two entities were the only allegedly links of VP Binay to Mr. Gerardo Limlingan. But the AMLC’s recent motion constitutes an admission that it cannot prove its assertion… In short, the AMLC flip-flopped not only once, but twice,” Tiangco said.
Tiangco blasted the AMLC for its inconsistencies and flip-flopping, which he said exhibited a clear abuse of authority.
He also decried the AMLC’s refusal to divulge its report in the damage suit and forfeiture case, preventing Binay from responding to its claims comprehensively.
“It seems that the copy of their report is exclusively for select media and LP officials. So much for ‘fairness’ and ‘due process’,” Tiangco said.
“In the petition it filed with the RTC, the AMLC alleged, under oath, that all accounts mentioned contain illegal funds belonging to the Vice President,” he said.
“However, just as the hearings of the case were about to begin—where the AMLC will be required to prove its allegations—it began asking the court to drop or exclude numerous accounts of several respondents. The AMLC claimed these accounts do not contain any funds that can be forfeited by the state,” he said.
At the same time, the Binay camp said it will ask the National Bureau of Investigation to identify the personalities responsible for the release of the supposed AMLC report used by the PDI in its banner story Tuesday. With Vito Barcelo and John Paolo Bencito
“I just have one message for the Inquirer. See you in court again,” said Senator Nancy Binay, the Vice President’s daughter.
The senator said the libel charges filed against the PDI were now pending with the courts and were about to be heard.
Tiangco reiterated that Binay was ready to face all accusations against him in court, but would not allow those resorting to criminal acts to malign him.
“This latest chapter in the well-funded and well-planned black propaganda plot against the Vice President is unprecedented in scale and viciousness. That their determination to convict him through publicity came at a crucial period in the campaign is condemnable,” Tiangco added.
Tiangco also warned those seeking to put down the Vice President through trial by publicity should not be allowed to commit crimes and violate the law like they did in this latest episode involving the release and publication of a false AMLC report.
“They shall and must be unmasked because to allow them to flaunt the laws of the land is to allow them to commit crimes and escape accountability,” he said.
Tiangco also said the PDI story was obviously part of the orchestrated effort to take the focus away from the basic issues of poverty and the need for a competent and compassionate government that the Vice President offers with the next presidential debate coming up.
The ruling Liberal Party earlier challenged Binay to respond to the latest reports about the AMLC findings against him.
“What more does VP Binay need to hear? The Senate says he’s guilty. The Ombudsman says he’s guilty. CoA says, he’s guilty. And now, the AMLC says, he’s guilty. Why can’t he defend himself?” Rep. Barry Gutierrez, a spokesperson for administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II said.
Gutierrez added that the piling up of reports from various agencies proved only one thing—Binay has been stealing money from government.
“He should face the people and show the evidence he says he has, not just deny. That won’t work in the courts,” he said.
Gutierrez said that Binay’s continued evasion of the corruption charges against him only shows his true character.