FILE PHOTO: Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian 鈥擲ENATE PRIB
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian defended the upper chamber and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) over the public disclosure of information on suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.
According to Gatchalian, the Senate and AMLC did not violate any policies for releasing information to the public regarding Guo鈥檚 case, including her 36 bank accounts.
In a press conference Friday, the senator made clear that the disclosed information is all public records, considering that the Court of Appeals (CA)聽 already ordered the freezing of Guo鈥檚 assets.
鈥淜aya nga inantay muna ng Senado na i-file, at inantay din ng Senado magkaroon ng ruling dahil kung wala namang ruling ang CA, ibig sabihin walang probable cause. So may ruling na at 鈥榶ung records nasa CA na, so anyone can ask for those records dahil nga it forms part of public records na,鈥� Gatchalian explained.
(That鈥檚 why the Senate waited for it to be filed, the Senate also waited for the ruling because if the CA did not rule, then there鈥檚 no probable cause. So there鈥檚 a ruling, and the records are also in CA, so anyone can ask for those records because they form part of public records already.)
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Gatchalian鈥檚 remark was a reaction to reports that Guo鈥檚 legal counsel, Atty. Stephen David, complained about the release of his client鈥檚 bank account details to the public. The lawyer said it violates the rights of Guo.
In a text message to Senate reporters on Friday, David maintained that bank account details are 鈥渃onfidential matters.鈥�
鈥淐over[ed] 鈥榶an ng Bank Secrecy Law at Data Privacy Act. Bakit na-divulge sa public 鈥榶ung mga ganyan na usapan?鈥� he asked.
(That is covered under the Bank Secrecy Law and the Data Privacy Act. Why did they divulge it to the public?)
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But during the press conference, Gatchalian insisted that the Senate and AMLC committed no violation for releasing such information.
鈥淲ala, walang violation because that forms part of public records, and anyone can go to the courts to ask for that petition. In fact, 鈥榶ung mga kaso dahil notarized 鈥榶an, it forms part of public records, hindi naman 鈥榶an top secret. Kasama 鈥榶an sa petition,鈥� he emphasized.
(No, there鈥檚 no violation because that form of public records, and anyone can go to the courts to ask for that petition. These cases are notarized, so it form part of public records and are not top secret. It鈥檚 included in the petition.)they
The AMLC on Thursday evening informed Gatchalian鈥檚 office that it has successfully secured the , marking a significant milestone in the investigation of Guo and others who are linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators in the country.
The freeze order encompasses a wide range of assets, including 90 bank accounts across 14 financial institutions and several real properties and high-value personal properties such as luxury vehicles and a helicopter.