Posibleng maging “candidate for money laundering” ang Cale88 Foods Corp., kumpanyang partly owned ng asawa ni Vice President Sara Duterte na si Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, ayon sa Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
Lumabas ito nitong Martes sa ikalawang araw ng testimonya ni AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura sa Senate impeachment trial ni Duterte.
Tinanong ni Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian kung paano maipapaliwanag ang malaking galaw ng pera sa Cale88 kumpara sa laki ng negosyo nito.
Ayon kay Gatchalian, P125,000 lamang ang paid-up capital ng kumpanya ngunit umabot sa P776.6 milyon ang inflows at P154.6 milyon ang outflows nito mula 2022 hanggang 2025, batay sa summary ng transactions ng 15 corporations na umano’y konektado kina Duterte at Carpio.
“Ang sales nila since 2021 was only P23 million, assets nila P18 million, and liabilities ay P20 million,” ani Gatchalian.
Tinukoy rin niya ang dalawang dahilan na ginamit ng covered institutions sa pag-flag sa ilang inward remittances bilang suspicious transactions.
Kabilang dito ang “there is no underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose or economic justification” at “the amount involved is not commensurate with the business or financial capacity of the client.”
“Kasi kung hindi mahanap sa libro yung P776 million, candidate ba itong Cale88 for money laundering? In your expert opinion, at experience mo, dapat ma-reflect yan sa books di ba?” tanong ni Gatchalian.
“As a starting point po, it’s difficult to say. As starting point, maaari po, but we have to consider all other factors,” sagot ni Buenaventura.
“Pero puwede siyang candidate for money laundering?” balik ni Gatchalian.
“Kung candidate lang po, yes, but we have to consider all other factors,” sagot ng AMLC official.
Nilinaw ni Buenaventura na kailangan pa ring tukuyin kung may unlawful activity na pinagmulan ng pera bago magkaroon ng money laundering case.
“In general lang po, we have to determine kung ano po yung unlawful activity na maaaring pinanggalingan ng pera, or naging transaction dun sa pera,” ani Buenaventura.
Tinukoy niya bilang mga halimbawa ng predicate offenses ang kidnapping for ransom, drug trafficking at graft and corruption.
“The proceeds must come from illegal activity,” dagdag niya.
Nauna nang kinumpirma ni Buenaventura na nakatanggap ang Cale88 ng P319.326 milyon sa inward remittances mula mainland China at Hong Kong.
Sa halaga, humigit-kumulang P315.94 milyon ang galing mainland China at P3.39 milyon mula Hong Kong.
Tatlo sa transactions ang na-flag bilang suspicious dahil umano sa kawalan ng underlying legal o trade obligation, purpose o economic justification.
“Dito niyo na titingnan kung saan nanggaling yung pera. Dito niyo na rin titingnan, kasi kalahati ng sales nila, galing ng China whether yung entity sa China is legitimate or not,” ani Gatchalian.
“In general, yes po, it will be looked at, all other factors po,” sagot ni Buenaventura.
Tinanong din ni Gatchalian kung pasok sa suspicious transaction indicator ang P125,000 capital kumpara sa P776.6 milyong inflows.
“Kung ang capital ay P125,000, tapos pumasok P776 million in sales o cash, pasok ba siya dito? Is the capital of P125,000 commensurate to P776 million?” tanong niya.
“I have to check po the nature of the business. If based on this juridical person, we have to conduct further investigation, if needed po,” sagot ni Buenaventura. /Bistado