Metro Manila, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman said the assets of personalities tagged in the multibillion-peso flood control scam are preserved amid reports that freeze orders are about to be lifted.
In a press briefing on Thursday, March 26, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the office has secured assurance from the court that freeze orders subject to expiry have corresponding civil forfeiture cases.
He said that while freeze orders automatically expire after six months, the court issues an asset preservation order during civil forfeiture proceedings.
“It’s inaccurate to say na meron ng hold ang tao, ang mga respondent doon sa pera nila, as long as meron pong asset preservation order na inisyu ng RTC (regional trial court)…ibig po sabihin, naka-freeze pa rin po ang assets nila sa bangko,” he said.
[Translation: It is inaccurate to say that the respondents already have control over their money, as long as there is an asset preservation order issued by the RTC…This means that their assets in the bank are still frozen.]
Clavano said the government continues to go after the assets of flood control suspects to recover stolen funds.
“We hit them where it hurts. At iyon ang pera nila na nakuha nila sa flood control. So we will not forget about that kasi iyan po talaga ang mas masakit sa kanila na makuha natin ang pera na talagang nasa atin, dapat sa atin,” he said.
[Translation: We hit them where it hurts. And that is their money that they got from flood control projects. So we will not forget that, because what hurts them the most is when we recover the money that truly belongs to us and should rightfully be ours.]
On Wednesday, March 25, the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said the Manila Regional Trial Court issued two provision asset preservation orders to protect monetary instruments and properties pending the court’s final decision.
The agency said it has filed civil forfeiture cases on the properties of personalities and entities linked to the flood control corruption scandal, covering assets that are subject of the freeze orders from the Court of Appeals.
“The filing of civil forfeiture cases is the final step to ensure the recovery of illicit proceeds linked to flood control project anomalies. The action marks the first of several petitions to be filed, all aimed at recovering funds tied to corrupt practices involving flood control projects,” the AMLC said.
