VP’s husband to file raps over bank secrecy breach

MANILA, Philippines — Manases Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, is set to file today criminal complaints against Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura and House of Representatives committee on justice chairperson Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro and three other legislators for allegedly disclosing bank records.

In a statement issued yesterday, Carpio said he will file before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), Bank Secrecy Laws and Data Privacy Act against Remolona, Buenaventura, Luistro, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, and Akbayan party-list Representatives Chel Diokno and Percival Cendaña.

Carpio alleged that Remolona and the others connived to illegally disclose and divulge classified confidential banking records protected under Republic Act 9160 or the AMLA as amended, RA 1405 or the Bank Secrecy Law, and RA 10173 or the Data Privacy Act.

Carpio said he is taking legal action not only to defend his wife and the Duterte family, but to also defend the banking and financial community and the general public.

He explained that under the AMLA, as amended, confidentiality and protection of bank records are absolute and without exception. This is for the security, stability and integrity of the financial and banking system.

Carpio pointed out that even “Congress itself enacted Section 8A of AMLA prohibiting disclosure in any manner any reports of banks submitted to AMLC.”

“There is no exception. The prohibition is absolute. That is what Congress itself enacted to preserve full security against any disclosure of any information or record obtained by the AMLC,” he added.

But despite the prohibition, Carpio alleged the AMLC and House justice committee leaked various private records of transactions, expanding to insurance payments, time deposits, investments and utility bill payments.

He also described the AMLC leak as “diabolical” because it was reportedly being used as a tool for black propaganda and political harassment, to ruin the good reputation of his wife, Vice President Duterte, and against the Duterte family. “AMLA is being weaponized to the max even if illegal and contrary to law, for pure black propaganda with a view to the 2028 national election,” Carpio said.

Carpio announced his plans to file a criminal complaint after the AMLC revealed that there were reportedly bank accounts tied to him and his wife – that were repeatedly flagged for suspicious and covered transactions from 2006 to 2025 – worth a total of P6.77 billion.

VP’s camp to appeal COA notice

The camp of the Vice President is reportedly considering on appealing before the Supreme Court the P73 million alleged confidential expenses in 2022 that was flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).

In a recent interview over Bilyonaryo News Channel, Michael Poa, spokesperson for Duterte’s defense team, admitted that “I think there is no getting around that” when asked if they would file an appeal.

He explained that under COA’s own Rule 64, the respondents have 30 days, upon receipt of the decision, to file a motion for reconsideration.

Poa said the Office of the Vice President (OVP), the law firm Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar and his own office have not yet received a copy of the COA’s decision.

If their motion is denied, and if there is still a “balance” or remaining days from the 30-day period, they could still go to the high court.

It was only during the April 14 hearing of the House committee on justice when the defense team learned of COA’s decision that denied Vice President Duterte’s appeal against the Notice of Disallowance on the OVP’s 2022 confidential expenses.

The disallowance was reportedly on the confidential expenses of the OVP from Dec. 21 to 31 in 2022, specifically the P69,787,000 used for the purchase of rewards and P3,500,000 used for the purchase of tables, chairs, desktops, computers and printers.

No authority

The House justice committee didn’t have the authority to pry on the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said after the panel allowed the AMLC to make public all their transactions.

Garbin described as “legally misplaced” the interpretation of the committee that the impeachment case of Duterte was among the exemptions stipulated in the Bank Secrecy Law.

“To characterize committee proceedings as already an ‘impeachment case’ is tantamount to saying that we are already conducting trial at the committee level, which is incorrect and procedurally unsound,” he said.

“In short, the committee on justice is not an impeachment court. Its role is preliminary, not adjudicative. The impeachment case, for purposes of invoking legal consequences such as exceptions under RA 1405, only begins upon transmittal to and cognizance by the Senate,” Garbin insisted. — Delon Porcalla