AMLC: Sara Duterte, husband had P4.4B in covered, suspicious bank transactions

At least P4.4 billion worth of covered and suspicious transactions were recorded under the bank accounts of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura said Monday.

Buenaventura made the testimony during Day 33 of the impeachment trial of the Vice President, saying the value was reduced from P6.7 billion, which the AMLC official testified in the House justice panel, to P4.4 billion after a correction was made by one of the subject banks, BPI.

Of the 4.4 billion, he also testified that P1.63 billion accounted for inflows, while P1.3 billion was for outflows.

He also said there are P1.4 billion worth of covered and suspicious transactions with undetermined inflows and outflows.

The Anti-Money Laundering Law defines a covered transaction as "a single, series, or combination of transactions involving a total amount in excess of P4 million or an equivalent amount in foreign currency based on the prevailing exchange rate within five consecutive banking days except those between a covered institution and a person who, at the time of the transaction, was a properly identified client and the amount is commensurate with the business or financial capacity of the client; or those with an underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose, origin or economic justification."

Likewise, the same law states that a covered transaction refers to "a single, series or combination or pattern of unusually large and complex transactions in excess of P4 million, especially cash deposits and investments having no credible purpose or origin, underlying trade obligation or contract."

Buenaventura explained the reduced amount of covered transactions during the direct examination of private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia.

“What we submitted in the House had a different coverage [as stated in the subpoena], which is 2006 to 2005, and it only involved banks. The subpoena from the Honorable [impeachment] court covers 2007 to 2025, and all covered personalities, not just the banks,” he said.

“A covered person also corrected 13 covered transactions reports, and so, we had a validation. The ones we submitted to the Honorable 30 last July 30 was already corrected by us,” he added.

Back in April, Buenaventura also told the House committee on justice that at least 18 of the transactions cited in the affidavit of former senator Antono Trillanes IV submitted to the House committee on justice correspond to entries in AMLC records, including three transactions allegedly involving supposed drug personality Samuel “Sammy” Uy.

The 18 transactions confirmed by Buenaventura were randomly selected by House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of the ML party-list.

Of the 18 transactions, Buenaventura said three were deposited in batches amounting to P7.4 million each in March 2011, October 2011, and April 2012.

However, Buenaventura clarified that the AMLC cannot confirm whether such three batches of transfers came from Uy as it only monitors transactions reported by covered institutions and not direct ownership of accounts.

Buenaventura also told the House justice panel that the Vice President was the subject of 27 suspicious transaction reports submitted by covered institutions from August 2024 to January 2026 concerning suspected drug trafficking, graft and corruption, and malversation of public funds and property.

The AMLC said the reports were triggered by references to the House Quad Committee hearings on the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, news reports alleging involvement of the Vice President’s husband Manases in the 2017 P6.4-billion shabu shipment, the 2025 impeachment complaint against Duterte, and alleged misuse of confidential and intelligence funds. —AOL, GMA News