ROXAS TO DE LOS ANGELES: WHERE'S THE BANK WAIVER?
SAYS SENATE'S HANDS TIED WITHOUT WAIVER ON BANK SECRECY

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today said Legacy owner Celso de los Angeles has yet to make good on his promise to issue a waiver on the confidentiality of his private bank accounts so as to allow senators to examine these and determine the veracity of allegations that Legacy funds were diverted for his personal use.

Roxas also noted that De los Angeles, who is also Mayor of Sto. Domingo in Albay, has likewise yet to submit an official copy of his Statement of Assets and Liabilities as a public official, contrary to his commitment in an earlier hearing by the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce last February 20.

"Pangakong napako na naman ba ito? Nasaan na ang waiver na ipinangako mo? (Is this another empty promise? Where is the waiver that you promised?)" said Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade committee.

"Sabi niya noong nakaraang hearing, handa siyang i-waive 'yung bank secrecy sa mga bank accounts niya. Nagbago na kaya ang isip niya? O nagdidribol ng oras para madoktor pa niya ang mga dokumento niya? (He was even bragging when he promised to give us a waiver of his bank secrecy rights during the last hearing. Has he changed his mind? Or perhaps he is buying time to again trying to falsify bank documents?)" he asked.

The Ilonggo senator had challenged De los Angeles during the March 9 public hearing to waive all his rights under the Bank Secrecy act. This, after De los Angeles made a blanket denial of the allegations and even said he would open his active personal accounts at the Philippine Rural Bank and the Philippine Countryside Bank as well as his closed account at Metrobank Bicol.

Former chief finance officer Namnama Pasete-Santos had testified during the public hearing that P38 million in Legacy funds were given to De los Angeles supposedly to bankroll his mayoralty bid in Sto. Domingo, Albay during the 2007 general elections; P30 million in 2006; and a total of P22 million in 2008. Ex-Legacy chief executive officer and chairman Carolina Hinola, on the other hand, said P25 million was paid to De los Angeles by Legacy for the purchase of the Punta Engano property in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu.

Roxas said the Senate's hands is tied from reviewing the Legacy owner's accounts without the waiver, which is required under the Bank Secrecy Act.

"Mahalagang malaman natin ang paglabas-masok ng pera sa personal na accounts ni Celso. Dahil ang perang ito ay para dapat sa kapakanan ng mga kawawang planholder at depositor niya (It's important for us to review the movement of money in and out of his accounts, because what's involved here is the money that his planholders and depositors entrusted to him)," he said.

"Celso, hindi ka namin titigilan hanggang sa makuha ang hustisya para sa iyong mga biktima (Celso, we will not stop until we exact justice for your victims)," he stressed.