'Transfer of $500,000 by LTA to US helicopter firm suspicious'

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Panfilo Lacson has called on the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to look into the transaction made between the Arroyo family-owned LTA Inc. and an American helicopter supplier in 2004. 

Lacson raised the matter before AMLC executive director Vicente Aquino during a budget hearing last Thursday, when the latter was asked if the remittance of $500,000 by a local company not engaged in any air transport business to a foreign helicopter supplier, would be considered a suspicious transaction covered by provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Aquino said $500,000 is way above the P500,000 limit for deposits in a single banking day. 

“That should have been the subject of a suspicious transaction report or if this is a series of transactions, it should have been a series of suspicious transaction reports submitted to the AMLC electronically and in hard copy,” he added.

Aquino, however, declined to further comment when asked if the transaction was reported to the AMLC or an inquiry was conducted, citing its sensitive nature. 

In a radio interview yesterday, Lacson said that he is considering calling Aquino to an executive session, to enlighten the Senate about the transaction.

“It is possible that they (AMLC) have taken some action on this already. But that was in 2004 and even the AMLC, just like the police, could not do anything because the First Gentleman (Jose Miguel Arroyo) was involved in the remittance of $500,000,” Lacson said. 

If ever an investigation was conducted by the AMLC, Lacson said that it was probably kept confidential, and the council did not initiate any action because the former first family was involved. 

“He said that he will provide us with whatever information they find in the account of LTA. This would be good so that we will find out what transactions LTA Inc. was involved in. Maybe it wasn’t only copters, it could open the proverbial can of worms,” Lacson said.

Iggy not attending Senate probe

Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo is not attending the Senate investigation into the alleged anomalous acquisition of helicopters by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Arroyo, who is in London for medical treatment of his liver ailment, also said cases have been filed before the courts in connection with the allegations that his older brother pressured the PNP into buying helicopters he purportedly owned and passed them of as new.

“I will have to decline the invitation, not only because it is physically impossible for me to be present in the subject hearing, as I am currently in London, but also, and more importantly, because there is a clear agenda that some senators have admitted, which can no longer be in pursuit of the legislative mandate of the committee to conduct proceedings in aid of legislation,” Arroyo said in a statement released by his lawyer Andy Fornier.

“As it stands, the ongoing Senate inquiry can only be described as prosecutorial, if not outrightly vindictive. The announcements of particular senators already manifest an evident bias, and an undisguised plot to humiliate the Arroyo family. I refuse to be a hapless pawn in this wild witch-hunt propelled by political motive,” he added.

He also urged the Senate Blue Ribbon committee to immediately address its recommendations on the controversy to the appropriate agencies and courts of justice.

Committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III sent a letter to Arroyo dated Aug. 16 asking the opposition lawmaker to appear in the next hearing.

Arroyo said he already submitted his statement that included a lease agreement between LTA Inc., of which he was president, and LionAir Inc. that should have belied any malicious allegations that his brother owned the helicopters sold to the PNP.

He cited newspaper reports that quoted some senators as not believing his statement that his brother was not the owner of the helicopters.

He said some senators also questioned the genuineness of the lease agreement and “have begun to act as lawyers” for LionAir owner Archibald Po.

“By alleging certain assumed discrepancies in the lease agreement itself, the senators would attempt to make a judicial evaluation of the validity of the subject lease agreement, which is unmistakably the prerogative and authority of our judicial courts,” Arroyo said. – With Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero, Mike Frialde, Delon Porcalla