My kids told me to give back P450-M debt payment, Kim Wong says

Businessman Kim Wong has promised to return the P450-million debt payment he received but is believed to be part of the $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh's bank account in New York and laundered in the Philippines.

GMA News' Mark Salazar reported on "24 Oras" that the casino junket agent arrived at the decision after consulting his children.

"Kinausap ko ang dalawang anak ko. Sinabi nila maski maghirap tayo, kailangan ibalik mo na. Konsensya raw sabi ng anak ko," Wong said, adding he will present before senators on April 5 a letter of intent stating he would return the money within 15 to 30 days.

Wong admitted before the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation on the money laundering scheme that his firm, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Ltd., received P1 billion from the proceeds of the Bangladesh bank heist.

Of this amount, P450 million represented the payment by his Beijing-based client Gao Shu Hua for gambling debts while the P550 million was given to casino players who already lost the money to baccarat games.

On Thursday, Wong kept his promise to the Senate to return the $4.63 million to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for later transmittal to the Bangladesh Bank.

The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, is hoping it can still recover more money in the coming days.

"We have accepted that money. We are also hopeful that the rest of the money should also be accounted for," Bangladesh Ambassador to Philippines John Gomes said.

Gomes cited the statement of Senator Ralph Recto who said Philippine authorities, if they act swiftly, may still recover about $34 million of the $81-million loot that was stolen by hackers.

Recto's estimate includes the $17 million allegedly with Philrem Service Corp., the remittance firm responsible for transferring the stolen funds from Rizal Banking Commercial Corp. (RCBC) to different casinos and a certain Weikang Xu; $10 million or P450 million that Wong took as debt payment from Gao; and $7 million that may be recovered from casino accounts in Solaire and Midas hotels.

Philrem, however, denied that the $17 million is still with them. The remittance company said it had already transferred all the funds to intended recipients.  —Virgil Lopez/NB, GMA News