Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros on Thursday clarified that the confidentiality requirement covering Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records does not amount to an absolute prohibition against lawful disclosure to the Senate impeachment court.
Hontiveros made the clarification during Day 32 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial after defense lead counsel Sheila Sison earlier raised concerns over the confidentiality of summaries prepared from subpoenaed AMLC records.
“Wala pong sinasabing absolute confidentiality na nagtatali sa kamay ng impeachment court,” Hontiveros said.
She explained that the confidentiality requirement under the Anti-Money Laundering Act is intended to prohibit indiscriminate or voluntary disclosure of protected information by AMLC officials.
“’Yung confidentiality requirement para sa AMLC officials, sa mismong Anti-Money Laundering Act, ay prohibition sa indiscriminate o boluntaryong pag-leak ng impormasyon,” Hontiveros said.
She added that the provision does not prohibit information from being disclosed through lawful processes.
The impeachment court had earlier ruled that AMLC confidentiality provisions cannot override its constitutional subpoena power, while directing that subpoenaed suspicious and covered transaction reports first undergo in-camera review before disclosure to the parties. Congress.gov.ph
The AMLC records were subpoenaed in connection with the prosecution’s allegations involving Duterte’s wealth and financial transactions. The allegations remain contested and subject to the court’s evaluation of the evidence.
