John Osmeña seeks more proof on Nani rap

The Senate committee on government corporations and public enterprises has decided to seek from Swiss authorities more proof to support possible extortion and money laundering charges against former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.

Committee chairman Sen. John Osmeña has written Swiss Ambassador Lise Favre for documents on the details of bank transactions mentioned in the Swiss federal prosecutor’s request from the Philippine government for information about any ongoing criminal proceedings against Perez.

Pending receipt of such documents, Osmeña has postponed indefinitely any hearing on the former justice secretary’s case.

Swiss Prosecutor Brent Hollkamp made the request for information through the Swiss Embassy in March this year. With the request was a summary of the alleged money laundering activities of Perez, his wife Rosario, his brother-in-law Ramon Arceo, and his investment banker-friend Ernest Escaler.

According to the summary, account No. 338118 was opened in EFG Private Bank SA in Geneva on Mar. 5, 2001 in the names of Rosario Perez and Ramon Arceo Jr.

Perez and Arceo, who were described as the "economic eligible persons" of the account, executed a power of attorney in favor of the former justice secretary.

On Mar. 11, 2001, account No. 338372 was opened in EFG Private Bank upon Escaler’s request in the name of Lucky Clover Enterprises, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands.

Sixteen days later, on Mar. 27, account No. 338128 was opened in Escaler’s name in the same Geneva branch of EFG Private Bank.

"In parallel, accounts were opened, in the name of the same holders under the references 348118, 348128 and 348372 with EFG Private Bank SA, Guernsey branch," the summary said.

According to the summary, on Mar. 6, a day after it was opened in Geneva, account 338118 "did actually receive an amount of $1 million coming from the account of Ernest de Leon Escaler at the Coutts (Schweiz) AG Hong Kong." The account was closed on Oct. 31, 2001.

"With the closure of account No. 338118, account No. 338128, the holder being Ernest de Leon Escaler, received capital in return in several transfers," it said.

The Swiss prosecutor noted that "two important transfers took place from this last account in favor of the company Swordtail Limited, which is the holder of an account with the BNP Hong Kong."

"Finally, an amount of $833,000 went back from the Swordtail Limited account to the Lucky Clover Enterprises account," Hollkamp said.

The summary also said the EFG Private Bank (Guernsey branch) account of Rosario Perez and Arceo received a $699,985 transfer in March 2001.

It said the $1 million transfer to the Perez-Rosario account in Geneva and the nearly $700,000 transfer to the Guernsey account "were then the object of different investments and inter-account movements."

Last year, about two months before Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez was extradited to the United States, he claimed in a privilege speech that Perez extorted $2 million from him in February 2001. Perez denied the accusation.

Jimenez said he transferred the money from his bank in Uruguay to Coutts Bank in Hong Kong in Escaler’s name upon Perez’ instruction.

A month before his speech, Bulacan Rep. Willie Villarama exposed Perez as the million dollar man in President Arroyo’s Cabinet.

The documents that Osmeña is seeking include those covering the money trail from Hong Kong to Switzerland, the power of attorney executed by Rosario Perez and Arceo in favor of the former justice secretary, and incorporation papers of the companies involved in the movement of the funds.

Some members of his committee, however, consider the Swiss prosecutor’s request and the accompanying summary as the "smoking gun" evidence against Perez. Perez has denied he has money in Switzerland.