The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has rebuffed accusations of foot-dragging on reported anomalies in flood control projects, saying it has already secured court orders to freeze billions worth of suspected illicit assets.
In a statement sent to The STAR, AMLC executive director Matthew David addressed criticisms raised in a column article that the council acted belatedly on the controversy, involving several public works officials and private contractors.
‘We acknowledge the concerns and questions raised regarding the AMLC involvement in the ongoing investigation into the alleged flood control project scam,’ David said. ‘We wish to clarify that the AMLC has taken decisive and impactful action in recent weeks.’
Boo Chanco, in his STAR column on Oct. 1, criticized what he described as government officials’ ‘lack of respect for the peso,’ citing wasteful projects and corruption scandals.
He singled out the AMLC for allegedly acting too late in freezing accounts linked to the Department of Public Works and Highways’ ghost flood control projects, saying legislators and contractors involved may have already moved their stash abroad before regulators took action.
But according to David, the Court of Appeals has granted three freeze orders on petitions filed by the AMLC over the past three weeks, effectively blocking the movement of an estimated P2.9 billion worth of suspected stolen public funds and assets.
The most recent freeze order covers 836 bank accounts, 12 e-wallets, 24 insurance policies, 81 motor vehicles and 12 real estate properties.
This was on top of two earlier orders that immobilized 1,563 bank accounts, 54 insurance policies, 154 vehicles, 30 real estate properties and 12 e-wallets.
Reports indicated that certain banks and even the state-run Land Bank of the Philippines facilitated questionable transfers linked to the scheme.
The Commission on Audit, meanwhile, has filed four more fraud audit reports against DPWH officials and their contractors for their part in four multimillion-peso flood control projects in Bulacan that were fully paid but never built.
The projects include the P92.7-million flood control structure in Barangay San Roque, Baliuag, and the P92.7-million flood control structure along Angat River in Barangay Taal, Pulilan, which were both awarded to SYMS Construction Trading.
Also included were the P69.5-million riverbank protection structure in Barangay Bagong Silang, Plaridel, awarded to Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., and the P96.5-million riverwall in Barangay Pagala, Baliuag, awarded to Triple 8 Construction and Supply Inc.
In another development, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has announced his appointment of new officials, mostly assistant secretaries.