AMLC files civil forfeiture cases on flood control mess-linked assets

The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has filed three petitions for civil forfeiture before the Manila Regional Trial Court for assets tied to individuals and entities linked to the flood control corruption scandal.

In a statement on Wednesday, the AMLC said the petitions covers properties which were earlier subjected to several Court of Appeals (CA)-issued freeze orders.

As of end-January 2026, the body said the total value of frozen assets in connection with the flood control scandal has reached P24.7 billion.

This includes bank accounts, insurance policies, motor vehicles, air assets, real properties, e-wallet accounts, securities accounts, and investment accounts.

So far, the Manila court has issued two provisional asset preservation orders in connection with the petitions filed by the AMLC.

The AMLC said the petitions are aimed at safeguarding monetary instruments and properties, pending the court’s final decision.

“The cases involving flood control projects scandal are complex given the sheer volume and breadth of records involved,” it said.

“The investigation covers numerous entities, interconnected accounts, and a wide range of assets, requiring the examination and reconciliation of voluminous financial documents, transaction histories, and supporting evidence,” it added.

The anti-dirty money body explained that thousands of accounts and multiple layers of transactions have to be carefully confirmed, verified, and analyzed to establish clear linkages and trails.

“Given the scale and intricacy of the data, the AMLC is proceeding with deliberate care to ensure that all evidence is complete and accurate,” it said.

“This is essential not only to uphold the integrity of the investigation but also to ensure that the cases, once filed, are supported by robust and admissible evidence capable of withstanding judicial scrutiny,” it added.

The AMLC said it continues to enhance its internal processes to manage large-scale financial investigations more efficiently. 

It is also firmly committed to its mandate of enforcing the law without compromising the quality, credibility, and integrity of its cases.

“The filing of civil forfeiture cases is the final step to ensure the recovery of illicit proceeds linked to flood control project anomalies,” the AMLC said.

“The action marks the first of several petitions to be filed, all aimed at recovering funds tied to corrupt practices involving flood control projects,” it added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News