Ombudsman gives Allied Bank 48 hours to submit Estrada records

The Office of the Ombudsman gave Allied Bank two days to open the bank records of deposed President Joseph Estrada and threatened to cite officials in contempt if they refuse to comply with the order.

"We have given Allied Bank 48 hours to comply with our order to open record of accounts that we are interested in," Overall Deputy Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio told reporters yesterday.

So far, 11 of 12 commercial banks have complied with the order of Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, who is investigating plunder charges against the former leader.

"The office is contemplating contempt charges against Allied Bank management for obstruction of justice," Gervacio warned the bank, which is owned by tycoon and known Estrada ally, Lucio Tan.

The 11 banks which have turned over bank records to the Ombudsman are Equitable-PCI Bank, Asia United Bank, International Exchange Bank, Urban Bank, PS Bank, Security Bank, Metrobank, Citibank, RCBC, Bank of Commerce and UCPB.

"The government, through the Ombudsman, cannot be stopped. We feel that we have the authority under law, and we feel that it is necessary to get to the bottom of the anomalies surrounding the activities of Estrada," Gervacio said.

Lawyers of Allied Bank can go to the Supreme Court to question the authority of graft probers to look into accounts of government officials, he pointed out.

"They are contesting the authority of the Ombudsman to check records of depositors, citing the laws on secrecy and deposits," Gervacio said.

He explained, however, that the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act takes precedence over the Bank Secrecy Act and the Foreign Deposits Law.

Government prosecutors are preparing charges that Estrada amassed some P10 billion during his term in office.

Last month, at least 80 individuals representing various non-government organizations sought to padlock several properties allegedly owned by Estrada by filing a forfeiture case with the Office of the Ombudsman.

The former president was held criminally liable for violating the Ill-Gotten Wealth Law after allegedly concealing in his statement of assets and liabilities several properties and bank accounts even when he was still vice president.

"The astronomical amount of P10 billion is almost 17,000 times Estrada’s annual salary of P520,000 as vice president and P577,000 as president, and is manifestly and inordinately out of proportion to his salary as a public official and to his other lawful income," a portion of the 16-page complaint read.