Following the intervention by Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, the Senate finance committee has restored the proposed budget of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for 2026 to P333 million.
Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian informed Lacson that the AMLC’s budget was restored to P333 million in the Senate version of the budget bill, from the P170.161 million allotted for it in the National Expenditure Program.
“We granted the request of AMLC upon your recommendation during the budget deliberations. Remember, you strongly recommended to increase the budget of AMLC considering what’s happening right now. So the new budget of AMLC is P333 million,” Gatchalian said, after Lacson inquired about the restoration of the AMLC’s budget during the deliberation of the agency’s 2026 budget Monday.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Lacson replied.
In Filipino: Sa Tulong ni Lacson, ‘Restored’ ang 2026 Budget ng AMLC
Last Sept. 15, during the committee hearing on the budget of the AMLC, Lacson assured it of help in getting the funding they need to fight money laundering and corruption, as he lamented the AMLC got “crumbs” in the NEP. At the time, he said the AMLC proposed to the Department of Budget and Management a budget of P333.1 million for 2026, but had only P170.161 million in recommended appropriations under the NEP.
In seeking to restore the AMLC’s budget, Lacson said the additional requirements of the AMLC are “smaller than the commissions and SOPs demanded by corrupt officials in the Department of Public Works and Highways as well as some legislator-proponents, among others.”
Meanwhile, Lacson was heartened that the AMLC has started freezing the “web of accounts” of personalities linked to the corruption behind substandard and ghost flood control projects.
“I understand they have initiated the freezing of accounts. But the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act authorizes the council to even go further into the web of accounts so we can recover more. Kasi kung na nalipat na sa mga kamaganak, sa kapatid, sa kaibigan, kung kani-kanino, pwede pang habulin di po ba (I understand the AMLC has started the freezing of accounts, but the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act authorizes the AMLC to even go further into the web of accounts so we can recover more. This means we can go after the funds transferred to relatives and friends)?” he said.
Gatchalian said the AMLC has so far frozen P7 billion and they are constantly monitoring the web of accounts. He added the AMLC is optimistic it can recover at least thrice the amount.
“Kung tenfold (ang ma-recover), mag-amend pa tayong dalawa (at magdagdag pa tayo (If AMLC can recover 10 times the P7 billion, let us add to the AMLC’s 2026 budget),” Lacson told Gatchalian in jest.
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Sa Tulong ni Lacson, ‘Restored’ ang 2026 Budget ng AMLC
Matapos ang interbensyon ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, ibinalik ng Senate finance committee ang inirekomendang pondo ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) para sa 2026 na nagkakahalaga ng P333 milyon.
Ipinabatid ni Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian kay Lacson na ibinalik sa P333 milyon ang budget ng AMLC sa Senate version ng budget bill, mula sa P170.161 milyon na nakapaloob sa National Expenditure Program.
“We granted the request of AMLC upon your recommendation during the budget deliberations. Remember, you strongly recommended to increase the budget of AMLC considering what’s happening right now. So the new budget of AMLC is P333 million,” ani Gatchalian matapos tanungin ni Lacson ang tungkol sa pagbabalik ng pondo ng AMLC sa deliberasyon ng 2026 budget ng ahensya nitong Lunes.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” sagot ni Lacson.
Noong Setyembre 15, sa committee hearing sa budget ng AMLC, tiniyak ni Lacson sa AMLC ang tulong para makuha ang pondong kailangan nila upang labanan ang money laundering at korapsyon, matapos niyang ilahad na barya lamang ang ibinigay sa AMLC sa NEP. Humiling ang AMLC sa Department of Budget and Management ng P333.1 milyon para sa 2026, ngunit P170.161 milyon lang ang inirekomendang pondo sa NEP.
Sa paghiling na i-restore ang budget ng AMLC, sinabi ni Lacson na ang karagdagang requirements ng AMLC ay mas maliit pa kaysa sa komisyon at SOP na hinihingi ng mga tiwaling opisyal sa Department of Public Works and Highways, gayundin ng ilang lawmaker-proponent at iba pa.
Samantala, ikinatuwa ni Lacson na sinimulan na ng AMLC ang pag-freeze sa “web of accounts” ng mga personalidad na konektado sa korapsyon sa likod ng substandard at ghost flood control projects.
“I understand they have initiated the freezing of accounts. But the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act authorizes the council to even go further into the web of accounts so we can recover more. Kasi kung na nalipat na sa mga kamaganak, sa kapatid, sa kaibigan, kung kani-kanino, pwede pang habulin di po ba?” aniya.
Sinabi ni Gatchalian na nasa P7 bilyon na ang na-freeze ng AMLC at patuloy nilang mino-monitor ang web of accounts. Umaasa rin ang AMLC na maaari silang makarekober nang tatlong beses pa ng halagang ito.
“Kung tenfold ang ma-recover, mag-amend pa tayong dalawa at magdagdag pa tayo,” pabirong sabi ni Lacson kay Gatchalian.
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