Ipakita lamang ng gobyerno na wala itong sinasanto sa paglaban sa katiwalian at nakawan sa kaban ng bayan, at siguradong magbabalik ang tiwala ng Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at iba pang international financial institutions, at malulunasan din ang maraming problemang hinaharap ng bansa habang may pandemya.

Ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, bukod sa pangangailangan na magkaroon ng matalas na batas laban sa money laundering lalo na ang may kaugnayan sa nakaw na yaman at pag-finance sa terorismo, “consistency” ang susi sa tagumpay.

“One of the reasons we were included in the FATF’s gray list in 2012 is that the FATF wanted us to address deficiencies in countering terrorist financing, among others. In response, Congress passed Republic Act 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012. This was further enhanced by RA 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. This may, however, call for further measures such as amending our existing Bank Secrecy Act, to address a major source of corruption. What we need is to make it difficult, if not impossible, to hide or launder ill-gotten wealth. This would be a big deal in helping stop corruption,” paliwanag ni Lacson.

Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: Consistency vs Corruption to Restore Int’l Financial institutions’ Trust in PH

Muling isiniwalat ng mambabatas na mula noong una siya naging senador sa 2001, paulit-ulit na siyang nagsasampa ng panukalang batas para baguhin ang Bank Secrecy Act at alisin ang bahaging nagbabawal na maisapubliko ang mga accounts ng opisyal at mga kawani ng pamahalaan.

Si Lacson din ang pangunahing may-akda sa unang pag-amyenda sa 2001 Anti-Money Laundering Law ng bansa, kung saan ay naibaba ang threshold amount mula PHP4 milyon tungo sa PHP500,000 o US$10,000 na siyang umiiral na pandaigdigang batayan.

Sa 18th Congress, isinampa ni Lacson ang Senate Bill 26 na naglalayong alisin na ang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan sa proteksiyon ng Republic Act 1405, na nagbabawal sa mga bangko na ibahagi o isapubliko ang nilalaman ng mga account ng mga ito.

“When you enter the government service, you should not invoke the Bank Secrecy Act, to show transparency. This should apply to all public servants, from the President down to the lowest rank. Unfortunately, the bills I filed and refiled in this regard have not gotten off the ground,” banggit ni Lacson.

Binigyang diin naman ng mambabatas ang mariin at di-mababali na pagpapatupad sa umiiral na batas laban sa money laundering at pagpopondo sa mga terorista.

“In past years, we have seen a ‘selective’ implementation of laws. There must be consistency to regain trust. Until the people and the international community see that even perceived political allies are sent to jail for wrongdoings, there will always be that perception that certain influential people are exempt from our justice system,” dagdag ng senador.

Ayon pa sa senador dalawang bagay ang dapat na maging gabay upang magtagumpay laban sa katiwalian.

“In other words, more than leadership by example, it is more consistency that can make the big difference,” banggit pa ni Lacson.

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