JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Monday he hoped the Anti-Money Laundering Council would help the government track down the money raised from the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.
He made the statement following a warning by President Rodrigo Duterte, which he said should push the council to forward the documents being requested by the National Bureau of Investigation.
“The cases have been filed, and that’s why there is no reason for the AMLC not to give the information being asked by the NBI,” Aguirre said during an ambush interview at the sidelines of the NBI’s 80th anniversary celebration in Manila.
“These documents should have been given.”
Aguirre on Monday also slammed Senator Leila de Lima and challenged her to substantiate her charge that the Justice Department had manufactured the evidence in the drug charges against her.
“Her standard defense is that the DOJ is manufacturing evidence against her in all fora where she is being accused as the drug protector, yet she has not presented any iota of evidence to prove her accusation,” he said.
Aguirre was with Duterte at the NBI anniversary celebrations where Duterte again talked about the administration’s war against illegal drugs.
The NBI has filed several charges against De Lima and several others before the Justice Department in connection with the illegal drug trade inside the NBP.
“Of course, the evidence is against the protectors, against the drug syndicates. A lot of money is involved,” Aguirre said.
The Justice Department has said it was still requesting the AMLC report on the 10 bank accounts involved in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, which has been estimated at P12 billion to P15 billion.
Duterte on Monday also scolded the officials of the central bank and the Anti-Money Laundering Council for being “hard to deal with.”
“I’d like to address myself to the Central Bank guys and the AMLC. I’d like to warn you to avoid a confrontation between us, central bank people,” Duterte said in his speech at the NBI.
Duterte recalled the time when he was accused of having over P200 million in his bank account during the campaign period. He was referring to the exposé of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on his alleged questionable bank accounts.
“I was just curious. If I had that money, why did you not initiate an investigation? For really I have none,” Duterte said.
He accused the AMLC and the central bank of “protecting somebody, those who are really into money laundering.”