BSP freezes assets of 2 alleged terrorists

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has directed banks and other financial institutions to immediately freeze the assets of two women designated by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) as terrorists.

In a circular, the BSP disseminated two resolutions issued by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) imposing financial sanctions on the individuals covered by ATC Resolutions 86 and 87.

The sanctions require the freezing of funds and other property owned or controlled by the two to prevent them from accessing the financial system.

The freeze orders cover Janice Javier, also known as Yayo, Mulan, Ingrid, Pim, Salma, Tori, Tax and Iyam as well as Josephine Parra Porquia, with aliases Gie, Ghie, Jie and Gigi, according to the AMLC resolutions attached to the circular.

Javier has been tagged by the military as a communist rebel while Porquia is a Migrante activist. The AMLC ordered the “freezing without delay” of their assets, including related accounts.

The orders cover not only assets directly owned by Javier and Porquia, but also property or funds that are wholly or jointly owned or controlled by them, including those held indirectly.

Assets derived or generated from property or funds they own are likewise covered, as well as the property of persons and entities acting on their behalf or at their direction.

The sanctions were imposed under Republic Act 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, which provides the legal framework for preventing terrorism financing.

Banks must also file suspicious transaction reports covering all previous transactions of the two within five days from the effectivity of the freeze orders.

The BSP circular did not disclose the amount or value of assets covered by the freeze orders.