The BSP spoke on the issue regarding the alleged shipment of gold bars to Thailand.
BSP – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas asserted that there is no circular that supposedly permitted the alleged shipment of the gold bars to Thailand.
In a previous news report, it is stated that former Pres. Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III and several other officials under his term face plunder complaint over an alleged shipment of gold bars to Thailand.
Based on the news report, the other officials that are faced to plunder complaint were former Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima, former Department of Interior and Local Government Sec. Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas, and former Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon.
Furthermore, the complaint also included Sen. Leila De Lima who was the Department of Justice Secretary under the administration of former Pres. Aquino and the Governor of BSP, Amando Tetangco Jr.
According to the report, the charge against the several officials were filed by Rogelio Cantoria and Atty. Fernando Perito. Furthermore, it is stated that Cantoria claimed that he has worked in the BSP from 1976 until 1995.
Both complainants claimed that the said officials have transferred 3,500 metric tons in gold bars from a bank in Switzerland to Thailand’s Centennial Energy Company Ltd. to assure the printing of bank notes.
The report also entailed that the gold bars that were allegedly transferred by the officials could reach up to P6.8 trillion according to Perito and Cantoria.
Former Interior Sec. Mar Roxas was identified as the secretary of ‘nutrition and government’ while former DOJ Secretary and now Sen. Leila De Lima was identified as the Finance secretary on the complaint according to the report.
In a recent news report in Inquirer, it is stated that according to the BSP, no circular has allegedly permitted the shipment of the gold bars to Thailand by the former President in 2014.
It is also stated in the news report that Inquirer has been referred by the BSP to an old circular that warns the public versus scammers who use documents which are fake and allegedly authorized by the officials of the BSP.
Meanwhile, the statement of Abigail Valte, the former deputy presidential spokesperson of former Pres. Aquino, as stated in the report, emphasized that ‘Department of Nutrition and Local Government’ does not exist and the Monetary Board does not include the Secretary of Justice and the DILG Secretary.
“It defies logic, which is not surprising since it came from a fake news site,” Valte expressed as stated in the report.
It is also stated in the news report that the BSP has warned the public in 2006 against selling or trading “safekeeping receipt” and “bank guarantees” that were alleged to have been signed by the officials of the central bank.
“Any document alleging that certain individuals or companies have gold bullion deposits with the BSP are fraudulent, fictitious and outright forgeries,” according to the BSP.