ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Oct. 21, 2024
Dear Chief Acosta,
Isa akong depositor ng isang kilalang bangko. Nai-report ng nasabing bangko na mayroong suspicious transaction sa aking bank account, alinsunod sa AMLA, na nagdulot sa pag-freeze sa aking bank account ng ilang buwan. Ngayong tapos na ang imbestigasyon at napatunayang lehitimo ang aking naging transaksyon, gusto ko sanang ireklamo ang empleyado o opisyal ng bangkong iyon para sa abala sa aking negosyo na dulot ng ginawa nilang pag-report sa AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council). Maaari ko ba silang ireklamo?
-- Cedrick
Dear Cedrick,
Nakasaad sa Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9160, o mas kilala sa tawag na “Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001”, na inamyendahan ng R.A. No. 9194, na:
“Section 9. Prevention of Money Laundering; Customer Identification Requirements and Record Keeping. – xxx
(c) Reporting of Covered and Suspicious Transactions. – Covered institution shall report to the AMLC all covered transactions and suspicious transactions within five (5) working days from occurrences thereof, unless the Supervising Authority prescribes a longer period not exceeding ten (10) working days.
Should a transaction be determined to be both a covered transaction and a suspicious transaction, the covered institution shall be required to report the same as a suspicious transaction.
When reporting covered or suspicious transactions to the AMLC, covered institutions and their officers and employees shall not be deemed to have violated Republic Act No. 1405, as amended, Republic Act No. 6426 as amended, Republic Act 8791 and other similar laws, but are prohibited from communicating, directly or indirectly, in any manner or by an means, to any person, the fact that a covered or suspicious transaction report was made, the contents thereof, or any other information in relation thereto. In case of violation thereof, the concerned officer and employee of the covered institution shall be criminally liable. However, no administrative, criminal or civil proceedings, shall lie against any person for having made a covered or suspicious transaction report in the regular performance of his duties in good faith, whether or not such reporting results in any criminal prosecution under this Act of any other law.”
Sang-ayon sa nabanggit na batas, hindi maaaring maghain ng kasong administratibo, kriminal o sibil laban sa sinumang tao sa kadahilanang ang taong ito ay nag-ulat ng covered o suspicious transaction report alinsunod sa kanyang pagganap sa kanyang regular na tungkulin na may mabuting loob, kahit magresulta man o hindi ang naturang pag-uulat sa anumang kriminal na pag-uusig sa ilalim ng Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) o anumang batas ng Pilipinas.
Sa iyong sitwasyon, bagama’t nakaapekto sa iyong negosyo ang nangyaring pag-report sa iyong transaksyon, nakasaad sa batas na hindi maaaring ipula sa mga opisyal o empleyado ng bangko na inatasan ng tungkuling mag-report sa ilalim ng AMLA. Tinupad lamang nila ang kanilang tungkulin na mag-report ng may mabuting loob (good faith) kaya’t hindi sila maaaring mapanagot sa ilalim ng AMLA.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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