Drilon: Incoming Senate may repeat probe on $81-M banking heist

MANILA, Philippines — Senator-elect and former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Thursday said the incoming Senate may have to go over the probe of $81-million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh.

Drilon said that the report produced after the seven hearings on the bank heist was already submitted by the Senate blue ribbon committee, however, the Senate already closed. But he clarified that the probe may not be recurred but it will depend on the incoming chair of the Senate panel.

“Talagang nakakalungkot, ngunit wala po kaming magawa dahil inabutan ng pagsara ang Senado. Ngayon ang tanong natin, ano ang mangyayari sa susunod na Kongreso? Iyan po ay kung sino man ang susunod ng chairman ang magpapasiya diyan,” Drilon explained over a radio interview with DZMM.

“Ang basic diyan kailangan ulitin, pero hindi ibig sabihin na kailangan mong tawagin ulit yung resources persons. Hindi po, ang ibig sabihin maghehearing,” he added.

Drilon said that the new head of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee shall review the testimonies and determine if the old witnesses or additional resource are necessary.

“’Yung bagong chairman sasabihin niya, "Ah may sapat na testimonies, hindi na kailangang tawagin ang mga testigo." Or sasabihin niya, "Baka kailangan pa si Juan Dela Cruz, o additional resource persons," Or baka sabihin niya, "Hindi ako sangayon dito sa ibang sinabi report, iaadopt ko yung testimonies na nakaraan pero babaguhin ko ang report at isusumite ko ulet sa Senado." Iyan po ang options,” Drilon said.

Asked about the continuity of the case as Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, head of the Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies committee, and former Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Teofisto “TG” Guingona III would not be part of the incoming Senate, Drilon said the probe would not depend on them.

He said the new Senate panel head will have the say regarding the case.

Drilon also said that the incoming Senate cannot abandon the case as they have to resolve it as a courtesy to Bangladesh. “Pero hindi mo naman pwedeng sabihin na, ‘Hoy Mr. Committee Chairman, may report na iyan, yun na ang gamitin mo,’” he added.