Banks flagged Sara Duterte transactions over alleged graft, drug links --AMLC witness

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Multiple bank accounts under the name of Vice President Sara Duterte were flagged by banks over alleged links to graft and corruption, drug trafficking, and malversation of public funds, Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said Monday.

Buenaventura made the testimony during Day 33 of the impeachment trial of the Vice President, saying that at least two transactions of the Vice President involving premium payments to Mercantile Insurance Company Inc. in July and November 2019 were reported by the banks as suspicious transactions.

“Based on records, Your Honor, as reported by the covered person, the reason indicated is graft and corrupt practices, Your Honor,” Buenaventura said when asked by private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia why such transactions were reported suspicious.

“Several news outlets recently released a list of individuals and corporations identified as being involved in the Department of Public Works and Highways flood control issue, prompting the filing of a Suspicious Transaction Report,” he added.

Buenaventura also said that an August 1, 2024 transaction with Philippine Savings Bank and a December 5, 2024 transaction with BDO Life Assurance Company Inc. were also reported by the banks as suspicious transactions due to “drug trafficking and related offenses” and “malversation of public funds and property," respectively.

The suspicious report on the December 5, 2024 transaction with BDO Life Assurance Company Inc. also stated that “the client is alleged to have misappropriated confidential funds to her office in the OVP.”

Asked whose account these transactions were registered under, Buenaventura said, “Sara Z. Duterte.”

Defense counsel Mark Vinluan objected to the presentation of these documents, saying that the banks merely based their suspicious report on news reports that unfairly harm the Vice President.

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero overruled Vinluan, citing that the court will always clarify and set the record straight on testimonies to prevent misinterpretation by the public.

The prosecution is presenting evidence for Article 2 of the impeachment case against the Vice President, alleging unexplained wealth due to alleged failure to truthfully disclose assets in her SALN and failure to divest in businesses as required for the President and Vice President under a constitutional provision.—LDF, GMA News