Keeping tabs on money transfers impossible

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale is not amenable to the proposal of Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy that money conduits should be included in the operation against cyber pornography in his town.

Magpale yesterday said that they cannot interfere with them because these money transfers are legitimate businesses.

However, Magpale, co-chairwoman of the Provincial Women’s Commission and the Provincial Commission on the Welfare of Children, said these money conduits have been very cooperative in their investigation.

“The moment mo-appear many times in one day ang usa ka ngan, suspetsa na gyud ta  this could be money from cyber pornography,” Magpale said.

Magpale said that they are now studying how they can legally get money transfer agents to report suspicious financial activity to them.

Sitoy earlier said the operation against cyber pornography in his town is “half-baked” as money conduits were not included. He said as long as the channel of the money is not included in the operation, the temptation to receive the money exists.

Sitoy proposed an ordinance by the Provincial Board regulating the money transfer. Under his proposal, the money conduit should know the circumstances of the money transfer. — (FREEMAN)