Lacson drags businessman Reghis Romero II in 'cash gifts' mess

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday implicated businessman Reghis Romero II in the cash gifts controversy, saying the money given to local government executive after a Malacañang meeting last October 11 may have been “laundered" through the businessman’s private bank account. Lacson said based on information from insiders at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the money used to fund the cash gifts was channeled though Romero, who has a P3-billion “collectible" from the government. "Inside info coming from DBM (indicated that) during the first week of July, DBM released through the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board P500 million to be credited to the account of Romero," Lacson said. “This is part of the P3 billion collectible of Romero (from the) government. I think the first tranche was released sometime July 2 or 7," he added. Lacson, however, lamented that he could get no further because of Executive Order 464 and the bank secrecy law. In the hearing, Lacson asked Arturo Manuel Jr, executive vice president of the Bank of Commerce, if Romero was a client of the bank. Manuel declined to answer, saying it may violate laws bank secrecy. "There goes our problem. We cannot get to the bottom of this case because aside from executive privilege and EO 464, meron tayong bank secrecy," Lacson said. Earlier, Lacson claimed that at least P160 million from the PNP’s counterinsurgency funds were used to fund the cash gifts. He said P100 million was channeled through the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER), while the remaining P60 million was channeled through the Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO). - GMANews.TV