AMLC urged to open probe vs Marcoses

MANILA, Philippines — A former commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to open an investigation against the family of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Speaking with “The Chiefs” over Cignal TV’s One News last Tuesday night, former PCGG commissioner Ruben Carranza said the government may initiate a money laundering probe in light of the Supreme Court (SC) decision recognizing that the Marcoses amassed ill-gotten wealth during the dictatorship.

“The law already requires, already states that corruption – money earned from corruption – is a predicate offense. That means that you have a basis to open an investigation involving money laundering,” he said in English and Filipino.

Money laundering is defined “as a crime whereby the proceeds of an unlawful activity are transacted, thereby making them appear to have originated from legitimate sources.”

The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 specifically identified graft and corruption and plunder as among the unlawful activities that the money used for laundering may have come from.

In 2003, the SC declared that over P25 billion in assets of the late dictator and his wife Imelda were ill-gotten, noting that it was disproportionate to their salaries as government officials from 1966 to 1985.

Tax declarations prior to Marcos’ term as president also showed that they do not own that amount of money.

While the sins of the father were different, Carranza said that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also committed sins of his own.

“It was the father who committed the robbery,” he said in Filipino. “But Marcos Jr. was part of the efforts to hide it, spend it and again hide the remaining money that the Marcos couple looted. Those are the sins of the son.”

Carranza noted Marcos Jr.’s attempt to withdraw funds from the Swiss banks, which resulted in the Swiss government’s decision to freeze the accounts.

“During those years that we were going after the Marcoses while I was in PCGG and even before and after that, it was Marcos Jr. who was fighting against the cases filed not just in the Philippines but also in the United States,” Carranza said.

Marcos Jr., he added, tried to delay the cases until such time that a president who is favorable to them or someone from their family like himself is elected.

“That is what you call complicity after the fact which, under the laws of the Philippines, makes him part of those trying to hide the ill-gotten wealth,” Carranza said.

In addition to a money-laundering probe, the former PCGG commissioner emphasized that the Bureau of Internal Revenue could also direct banks to provide details of the transactions involving the Marcos estate, citing the unpaid estate tax as a basis for such order.

Marcos Jr. is currently leading the surveys for the upcoming presidential elections.

Carranza, however, said surveys should not stop the relevant government agencies from doing their jobs.

“What has to be done is start the investigation. Leading in the surveys does not mean innocence from money laundering,” he said.