Apparently, this twisted Angela Torres’ (RCBC Senior Customer Relationship Officer) who claimed that Go was able to withdraw P20 million from the peso account which she and bank messenger, Jovy Morales, loaded into his Lexus car outside the Jupiter branch on February 5. In an interview with radio dzBB,[13] she said that she was the one who brought the money to William Go and firmed to herself that it was William Go who received it (the news on website did not mention that according to Torres the money was placed in a box which was smaller than balikbayan box but not in a paper bag – it so happened that I heard the news on the radio because my father is a frequent AM radio fan). It is interesting to note that Osmeña revealed based on Deguito’s testimony in the closed-door hearing, that on February 5, Wong called her to inquire if one of the four accounts had already received $30 million. “After verifying, she told him that the funds were already there. He called every 20 minutes to ask if the other remittances had arrived – $20 million, $25 million and $6 million, for a total of $81 million. True enough, the funds were transmitted to the four accounts. The fifth – opened by a certain Picache – did not receive any funds. Kim Wong is a major player in this scandal,” he said.[14]
In this gargantuan issue, it’s the words of two women (Maia Santos-Deguito - RCBC Branch Manager, Angela Torres - RCBC Senior Customer Relationship Officer) VERSUS the words of 4 men (Romualdo Agarrado - RCBC Customer Service Head, Kam Sin “Kim” Wong - Junket Operator, William Go (businessman) , and Lorenzo V. Tan - RCBC President & CEO) who are either crying for justice or fabricating stories.
While it is true that Maia Deguito (if her words are true) should have been the first to spot irregularities in four US dollar accounts which were allegedly used by an international syndicate to move stolen money from the Bangladesh Bank,[15] and if it’s true that she’s not among the accomplices, who would suspect that the president of the company that she’s been working with who referred to him a client who turned to be a valued client, is not trustworthy enough?
If two women’s words are true (Deguito and Torres), this is clearly another pattern of violence against women. This is an act with multi-jeopardy effects – Bangladesh whose stolen of their potency despite their economic status, the third poorest country in South Asia[16] whose populace is dependent on the country’s financial system), the two women who found their jobs so they could also enjoy this life together with their family but eventually lost it, and violent effects to their personhood brought not only by huge trauma and dwindling self-esteem but their reputations and honors that are tainted as well because of facing not only the indictments carried out by the individuals and institutions but also the people who have already been questioning their integrity, and the Philippines putting the nation's financial system in peril, the credit rating, foreign investments, economic growth and even international banking and financial operations. In fact, the Philippine banks’ remittance operations abroad experience tighter scrutiny from their partner foreign banks because of this scandal, which is bad news to roughly 12 million OFWs (overseas Filipino workers).[17]
Taken from these pains and trauma that our brethrens endure caused by this ordeal, the Catholic Church thus constantly reaches out through its catechism which edifies:
"A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving." The Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil: "You are of your father the devil, . . . there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."(John 8:44) - Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 2482)
Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error. By injuring man's relation to truth and to his neighbor, a lie offends against the fundamental relation of man and of his word to the Lord. (Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 2483)
If Maia Deguito and Angela Torres words are true, this ordeal that they have been facing teaches not to be much trusting and lax but vigilant. That it’s better to be strict in Know Your Customer (KYC) protocol to ensure appropriate and robust compliance framework to meet the increasing regulatory demands,[18] even if the prospective accounts or potential valued clients are referred by the most influential people because regardless of social status and education everybody is subject to temptation - if God works in mysterious ways, the evil spirit works in deceitful ways that twist ones values. When there is a sign of reluctance from the people who are supposed to be the models of trustworthiness and compliance, it’s better to lose a job and find another than to be placed in utter despair.
Nevertheless, this is something that’s a blessing in this guise because this serves as a caution to the financial system to regulate such electronic fraud in the future, to be hack-free cash system and to fortify Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) law to include casinos in particular and the preservation of the globally recognized reputation of Philippine banking system through restitution of the laundered money and to regulate the banking industry not as haven for dirty money but as a channel of economic gains for the country and its people.
Thus, every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven. When it is impossible publicly to make reparation for a wrong, it must be made secretly. If someone who has suffered harm cannot be directly compensated, he must be given moral satisfaction in the name of charity. This duty of reparation also concerns offenses against another's reputation. This reparation, moral and sometimes material, must be evaluated in terms of the extent of the damage inflicted. It obliges in conscience. (Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 2487)
[1] Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News, Businessman William Go files raps vs. Deguito, Torres, Published March 18, 2016 9:44pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559586/money/economy/nlex-sctex-integration-completed-ahead-of-holy-week
[2] ABS-CBN News, Osmeña raises flags on RCBC branch manager's actions,
Posted at 03/13/16 6:21 PM | Updated as of 03/14/16 12:26 AM, http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/03/13/16/osmea-raises-flags-on-rcbc-branch-managers-actions
[3] Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas, GMA News, Kim Wong turns over $4.6 million to Bangko Sentral for safekeeping, Published March 31, 2016 5:36pmhttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/561040/money/companies/kim-wong-turns-over-4-6-million-to-bangko-sentral-for-safekeeping
[4] Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas, GMA News, Deguito named 2 senior RCBC execs who could be part of bank heist —Guingona, Published March 18, 2016 7:25am, Updated March 18, 2016 9:15am, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559507/money/companies/deguito-named-2-senior-rcbc-execs-who-could-be-part-of-bank-heist-guingona
[5] Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News, Kim Wong tagged as mastermind in $81-M laundering case, Published March 18, 2016 9:45pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559586/money/economy/nlex-sctex-integration-completed-ahead-of-holy-week
[6] Republic Act No. 9160, Anti-Money Laundering Law of 2001, http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9160.htm#.VuokkX2AOko
[7] Coconuts Manila March, Makati bank manager tags RCBC president's 'friend' in money laundering scandal, 15, 2016 / 09:53 PHT, http://manila.coconuts.co/2016/03/15/bank-manager-tags-rcbc-presidents-friend-money-laundering-scandal
[8] Coconuts Manila, Makati bank manager tags RCBC president's 'friend' in money laundering scandal, March 15, 2016 / 09:53 PHT, http://manila.coconuts.co/2016/03/15/bank-manager-tags-rcbc-presidents-friend-money-laundering-scandal
[9] Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News, Businessman William Go files raps vs. Deguito, Torres, Published March 18, 2016 9:44pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559586/money/economy/nlex-sctex-integration-completed-ahead-of-holy-week
[10] Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News, Kim Wong tagged as mastermind in $81-M laundering case, Published March 18, 2016 9:45pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559586/money/economy/nlex-sctex-integration-completed-ahead-of-holy-week
[11] Jonathan de Santos, Bank manager Deguito got 'laundered' money, RCBC officer says, (philstar.com) | Updated March 17, 2016 - 2:44pm, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/17/1563880/bank-manager-deguito-got-laundered-money-rcbc-officer-says
[12] Jess Diaz, Iris Gonzales, Lawrence Agcaoili, Marvin Sy, (The Philippine Star), Bangladesh rejects Philrem’s P10-M restitution offer, | Updated March 22, 2016 - 12:00am, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/22/1565426/bangladesh-rejects-philrems-p10-m-restitution-offer
[13] Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News, Businessman William Go files raps vs. Deguito, Torres, Published March 18, 2016 9:44pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/559586/money/economy/nlex-sctex-integration-completed-ahead-of-holy-week
[14] Jess Diaz, Iris Gonzales, Lawrence Agcaoili, Marvin Sy, (The Philippine Star), Bangladesh rejects Philrem’s P10-M restitution offer, | Updated March 22, 2016 - 12:00am, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/22/1565426/bangladesh-rejects-philrems-p10-m-restitution-offer
[15] Osmeña raises flags on RCBC branch manager's actions, ABS-CBN News, Posted at 03/13/16 6:21 PM | Updated as of 03/14/16 12:26 AM, http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/03/13/16/osmea-raises-flags-on-rcbc-branch-managers-actions
[16] Kayes Sohel, Bangladesh 3rd poorest country in South Asia, http://www.dhakatribune.com/economy/2014/jun/27/bangladesh-3rd-poorest-country-south-asia
[17] Virgil Lopez, GMA News, Ex-finance chief calls for closed-door hearings on money laundering scam, Published March 31, 2016 8:54pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/561069/money/economy/ex-finance-chief-calls-for-closed-door-hearings-on-money-laundering-scam
[18] Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas, GMA News, PhilRem in the eye of a stormy money laundering controversy, Published March 31, 2016 5:40pm, Updated March 31, 2016 7:12pm, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/561038/money/companies/philrem-in-the-eye-of-a-stormy-money-laundering-controversy
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