AMLC to investigate casinos after Lacson's 'BGC Boys' speech

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said that it will investigate casinos after Senate Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said that former Department of Public Works and Highways Bulacan engineers linked to anomalous flood control projects have cashed in billions of pesos from the gaming houses.

“May kalakip po ‘yon na penalty under our rules of administrative cases against covered persons. May table of penalties po ‘yun, depende sa possible violation na makikita namin,” said ALMC executive director Matthew David in Maki Pulido’s report in “24 Oras” on Thursday. 

(There is a corresponding penalty under our rules on administrative cases against covered persons. There's a table of penalties for that, depending on the possible violation we find.) 

Lacson said on Tuesday that the so-called “Bulacan Group of Contractors” or “BGC Boys”, wherein four of them were erstwhile DPWH officials, have cashed in billions of pesos from 2023 to 2025.

“Baka naman money laundering scheme? May report kami at ito ay aming vina-validate na peke lang ang pag-deklara nilang panalo. How so? Magpapalit ng cash into casino chips. Pero kapag natalo nang kaunti, pupunta sa cashier para mag-cash out at ideklarang panalo ang pinagpalitan nilang chips,” the senator said in his privilege speech. 

(Could it be a money laundering scheme? We have a report, and we are validating that their declaration of winnings is fake. How so? They will convert cash into casino chips. But when they lose a little, they go to the cashier to cash out and declare the chips they exchanged as winnings.) 

For its part, the AMLC said that the scheme is practiced to launder dirty money from corruption or crime. 

“Binibili po nila ‘yung chips and then they engage in minimal play, sometimes walang laro. And then, these launderers cash it out - ‘yung mga chips na ‘yon,” said David. “The funds can be presented as legitimate gambling winnings.” 

(They buy the chips and then they engage in minimal play, sometimes no play at all. And then, these launderers cash out those chips….The funds can be presented as legitimate gambling winnings. 

The agency said that casinos must report to them transactions worth P5 million and above. The AMLC added that a valid ID and a certificate of winning from the casino must be presented to validate the legitimacy of the winning chips for encashment. 

Further, the AMLC will investigate personalities linked to questionable flood control projects as well as their relatives. 

“Kasama rin po yung mga pamilya ng mga nabanggit na pangalan, because alam naman natin na laundering of money and corruption can extend even doon sa associates or family members of those involved in corruption,” David said.

(The families of the names mentioned are also included, because we know that laundering of money and corruption can extend even to the associates or family members of those involved in corruption.)  

“Kaya lumawak po siya tapos initial finding namin, napakaraming bank account, napakaraming properties whether real or personal properties,” he added. 

(That's why it expanded, and our initial finding is that there are so many bank accounts, so many properties, whether real or personal properties.) 

The AMLC also assured that it will request the Court of Appeals to issue a freeze order on the amassed money by those involved in flood control corruption. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News