Madriaga’s bank secrecy waiver will reveal millions in bank deposits, transfers – lawyer

Ramil Madriaga’s legal counsel said that his client signing a bank secrecy waiver will reveal that hundreds of millions were transferred through bank accounts opened under his name.

“Kung gaano man kalaki ang perang pumasok diyan at sino ‘yung mga depositor, eh sabi niya i-waive natin 'yung secrecy para makita natin kung ilang daang milyon ang pumasok diyan,” Madriaga’s lawyer Attorney Raymund Palad said in a Balitanghali interview.

(Regardless of how big the amount of money that passed through there and whoever the depositors may be, he said to waive the secrecy so we can see how many millions passed through there.)

“Mangyayari nito, iimbestigaan ng AMLC, makikita natin ‘yung mga bank transfer diyan, ‘yung online transfer, ‘yung bank-to-bank transfer, saka kung may mga nag-cash deposit diyan,” he added.

(What will happen is that the AMLC will investigate this, and we will see the bank transfer and online transfers, the bank-to-bank transfers, and if someone did cash deposits.)

Palad said that the bank accounts and transactions would prove that Madriaga was a trusted employee under former President Rodrigo Duterte and that the hundreds of millions passing through his account would act as a "receipt."

Madriaga noted that he was not sure if the accounts remain active as of the current time.

Palad also claims that Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp is resorting to ad hominem attacks and attempting to destroy Madriaga’s credibility but failed to address the actual issue at hand.

"Ang issue diyan, humarap kayo sa Congress at sabihin niyo ‘yung posisyon niyo. So ang nangyayari ano eh, ad hominem attack,” he said.

(The issue is that they must face the Congress and explain their position. What is happening is an ad hominem attack.)

“Tinitira ‘yung personality nung witness tapos nariyan sabihing bar flunker ‘yan, hindi puwedeng paniwalaan, may pending case ‘yan. Eh sagutin mo ‘yung issue ng confidential funds,” he added.

(They are attacking the witness’ personality and saying he was a bar flunker and that he shouldn’t be believed and that he had a pending case. They should just answer the issue on the confidential funds.)

Madriaga, on Tuesday, said that Duterte’s confidential funds, initially reported to have been consumed in 11 days, were disbursed within 24 hours.

In response, the Vice President had issued a statement calling Madriaga a bar flunker with pending kidnapping charges.

Duterte, meanwhile, had called the impeachment hearing a “mini trial” reflecting what she called “abuse and corruption” as well as “political maneuvering.”

Palad also said that their camp would be able to produce live witnesses that can prove Madriaga’s claims regarding Duterte’s confidential funds.

“Hindi lang sila hinarap kahapon dahil number 1, probable cause determination lang ‘to. Mag-antay sila Atty. Panelo ng mga witnesses sa Senate trial and I would encourage him na mag-participate siya sa defense and let's see kung paano niya iko-cross examine ‘yung mga living witnesses na magpapatunay ng pickup at delivery ng pera,” Palad said.

(They just weren’t presented yesterday because number 1, this is just probably cause determination. Atty. Panelo’s team will wait for witnesses at the Senate trial and I would encourage him to participate in the defense and let’s see how he cross-examines living witnesses that can prove the pickup and delivery of the money.) —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/ VAL, GMA News