LAOAG, Ilocos Norte – A measure that will help expose the ill-gotten wealth of government officials and employees – including the President – by excluding them from the Bank Secrecy Law will be one of senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson’s priorities should he return to the Senate.
“The first bill I will file, and I have done this in past Congresses, will be on the waiver for the rights to the Bank Secrecy Act of all government officials, from the lowest clerk or janitor, all the way up to the President,” he said in Filipino at a press conference here Tuesday, before the Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas’ proclamation rally.
Related: Pag-alis ng Bank Secrecy Para sa Taga-Gobyerno, Unang Priority Legislation ni Ping Lacson
Earlier, Lacson said this will also allow the early detection of questionable bank transactions like in the case of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, where billions of pesos were reportedly transferred to her accounts from 2018 to 2024.
The last version of Lacson’s bill was Senate Bill 26, which Lacson filed in 2019 (18th Congress). It strips public servants of the “protection” from the Bank Secrecy Act, which prohibits disclosure or inquiry into bank deposits as a general rule.
He noted the Bank Secrecy Act’s provision prohibiting the disclosure of or inquiry to bank deposits has frequently been exploited to “hamper and stall investigations” of government officials and employees suspected of enriching themselves while in public office.
Also covered by the bill are members of the uniformed services, as well as of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).
Lacson received a warm welcome here from residents who showed their support for him. In the 2016 elections, he topped the senatorial race in Laoag City, and placed second in Ilocos Norte province.
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Pag-alis ng Bank Secrecy Para sa Taga-Gobyerno, Unang Priority Legislation ni Ping Lacson
LAOAG, Ilocos Norte – Ang pagsulong ng panukalang batas na tutulong sa pagbuking sa pangungurakot ng opisyal at empleyado ng pamahalaan – kasama ang Pangulo – sa pamamagitan ng pagbubukod sa kanila sa Bank Secrecy Law ay isa sa magiging prayoridad ni Senatoriable Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson kung bumalik siya sa Senado.
“Una kong panukalang batas at ito lagi kong unang fina-file sa bawa’t Kongreso, ang waiver ng rights sa Bank Secrecy Act ng lahat na govt officials from the lowest clerk or janitor, all the way up to the President,” aniya sa pulong pambalitaan dito, bago ang proclamation rally ng Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas nitong Martes.
Giit ni Lacson, makakatulong to sa maagang pagtuklas ng kwestyonableng transaksyon tulad ng sa kaso ng na-dismiss na Bamban Mayor na si Alice Guo, kung saan bilyon-bilyong piso ang diumano’y nalipat sa mga bank account niya mula 2018 hanggang 2024.
Ang huling bersyon ng panukalang batas ni Lacson ay Senate Bill 26, na ihinain niya noong 2019 (ika-18 Kongreso). Dito ay matatanggalan ang taga-gobyerno ng “proteksyon” ng Bank Secrecy Act, na ipinagbabawal ang pagbusisi sa pangkaraniwang mga bank deposit.
Ipinunto ni Lacson na ang pagbabawal na ito ay pinagsasamantalahan para harangin ang pag-imbestiga sa mga opisyal at empleyado ng pamahalaan na pinaghihinalaang nangurakot habang nasa pwesto.
Sakop din sa panukala ang myembro ng mga uniformed services, at mga government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).
Nakatanggap ng mainit na salubong si Lacson dito mula sa mga residenteng nagpakita ng suporta para sa kanya. Sa eleksyon noong 2016, No. 1 siya sa Laoag City, at pangalawa sa buong probinsya ng Ilocos Norte.
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