MANILA – Sen. Richard Gordon believes that Chinese citizens who are supposedly engaged in a money–laundering scheme have connections in the government.
Gordon expressed his alarm over the week end, saying it is intriguing that no concerned government agencies reported such money laundering activity despite the cash being declared upon arrival in the Philippines.
“Walang nagre-report apparently; I don’t think it is being reported. Otherwise, anong ginagawa ng gobyerno?” the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee told DZMM.
He said that Chinese nationals could have “money connections” in government, because they could supposedly declare large amounts of money and bring it into the country without being flagged.
“If someone arrives in the Philippines with at least $10,000 cash, kailangan sabihin mo. Kun’di, kukunin sayo ‘yan ng gobyerno,” Gordon said. “So dinedeclare nila (Chinese nationals). Matapang sila. It means meron silang mga connection.”
Gordon has earlier said that foreigners, some of whom carried $5 million in cash personally, declared the money when they flew into the country between December and February, citing records from the Bureau of Customs.
“This is very alarming. So many foreigners are coming into the country with this huge amount of money. . . It’s tragic that we have an anti-money laundering law, but our country is used by other people,” Gordon said.
“The first step there is to call the Anti-Money Laundering Council, whether they’re aware that tremendous amounts of money are coming into the country. That money can be used for election purposes, or bribing officials, or even generating an army that can topple the government,” he added.
Opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, said that casinos in the country were obliged to report to AMLC any suspicions of money laundering.
“Sa ating Anti-Money Laundering Law, kung aabot ng P5 milyon or $100,000 ay dapat i-report lalo na kung suspicious transaction,” Drilon said in an interview with DZBB.
“Kailangan kilala mo ang iyong customer. Kaya may mga identification card na kailangan bago ilipat sa casino,” he added. “Kaya hindi dapat makakalusot ito.”/PN
