Businessman William Go files raps vs. Deguito, Torres

Businessman William Go on Friday filed criminal complaints against Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) bank manager Maia Santos-Deguito and senior customer relationship officer Angela Torres for dragging him into the $81-million money laundering scheme.

The complaints filed before the Makati Prosecutor's Office accuse Deguito and Torres of committing falsification of commercial documents, which is punishable under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code.

"Puro kasinungalingan ang sinasabi nila. Simula sa umpisa, wala akong kinalaman dyan. Napatunayan na ang mga pirma ng mga bank account ay peke," Go said in a report of Mark Zambrano on "24 Oras."

Initial investigation by RCBC showed $66 million believed to be part of the stolen funds from Bangladesh Bank went to the fake Go accounts at RCBC branch on Jupiter Street, Makati headed by Deguito.

The funds were later transferred to casino junket operator Wei Kang Xu and two casinos, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., the operator of Solaire Resort and Casino.

Torres claimed 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 Feb.5.

"Ako po mismo ang nagpa-receive kay William Go. Paninindigan ko na si Mr. William Go ang kumuha nito. Parang ginugulo na po kasi rin ako ni RCBC. Talagang tino-torture po nila 'yung utak ko," Torres said in radio dzBB interview.

RCBC said Go had not set up the account at the Jupiter branch and that his signature was forged.

"Inaprubahan nila ang fake withdrawal. Sila mismo ang nag-withdraw ng P20 million," Go said, adding he does not go to RCBC because he has no transaction with the bank.

Deguito is already facing criminal complaints for violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act before the Department of Justice, which has summoned her and four other respondents to the preliminary investigation hearings set for April 12 and 19. —Virgil Lopez/JST, GMA News