Philrem messenger, still ‘not feeling well,’ skips Senate hearing anew

The messenger of Philrem Service Corp., who summoned as early as two weeks ago to the Senate inquiry on an P$81-million money laundering scheme, again skipped the probe into the controversy on Tuesday.

Philrem is the remittance firm that served as one of the channels through which $81 million was laundered in the Philippines after being stolen from Bangladesh's bank account in New York.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will issue a subpoena to compel Philrem messenger Mark Palmares to attend the next hearing.

Senator Teofisto Guingona III said he felt Philrem executives were keeping something from the committee in not presenting the messenger.

Philrem president Salud Bautista told the Senate blue ribbon committee that messenger Mark Palmares called in sick, the same reason she gave when he skipped the April 5 hearing.

"He (Palmares) is not feeling well but his affidavit is here with me," said Bautista, who still arrived late even after the hearing started at 11:30 a.m. The hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m.

She said her husband, Philrem treasurer Michael "Concon" Bautista, has been hospitalized due to "an acute stomach pain."

Guingona expressed doubt on Bautista's claim that Palmares "was not feeling well."

"Feeling ko niloloko nyo kami, to put it bluntly. I did not issue a subpoena to your messenger because you made a commitment to produce him at this hearing," Guingona said.

"Frankly, I feel you're hiding something and  your credibility is very very low," he added.

Acting on a request from Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Guingona said a subpoena will be issued to compel Palmares to attend the next hearing.

Palmares was reportedly with Bautista when she delivered the first tranche of the funds to a certain Weikang Xu at Solaire Resort and Casino upon the instruction of former Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Jupiter branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito.

Xu allegedly received P600 million and $18 million from Philrem.  

Contrary to Wong's claim, Philrem executives said they were not keeping any part of money, which was stolen by hackers from Bangladesh Bank's account in New York before it was wired to RCBC Jupiter branch in Makati and laundered in a casino.   —Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News