Bets urged: Sign waiver, undergo AMLC check

Vice President Jejomar Binay shows a copy of the waiver allowing the Anti-Money Laundering Council to check the presidentiables’ bank accounts. With him is his running mate Gringo Honasan (left). (Inquirer photo)

United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) presidential candidate, Vice President Jejomar Binay, encouraged his fellow presidentiables to sign a general waiver to open and have their bank accounts checked by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Binay issued the call a day after the Cebu leg of the presidential debate where he drew the brunt of criticisms and allegations of corruption from his fellow candidates.

Binay, however, stopped short of signing the waiver himself, saying he has yet to consult with his lawyer.

“We, the undersigned candidates for president of the Philippines, hereby authorize the Anti-Money Laundering Council or its duly authorized representatives to open and check all bank accounts under my name, under my spouse’s name, my children’s name and my children’s children’s name to ensure full transparency in this election process,” said the waiver that Binay presented to the media during a press briefing yesterday at the Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino-Mactan.

Blank spaces were reserved for the signatures of Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, Davao city Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, and Mar Roxas.

“We, the undersigned candidates for president of the Philippines, also voluntarily submit ourselves to a lifestyle and government service performance check in accordance with law.”

The waiver is dated March 20, 2016 in Cebu.

He also presented documents that he supposedly wanted to show during the presidential debate.

Binay was referring to the “miscommunication regarding the rules of bringing notes and documents at the debate, which caused the delay of the debate.

These included his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Networth (SALN), Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), income tax returns, and a waiver he signed with the AMLC authorizing the council to subject him and his family to lifestyle check and a bank investigation. A medical certificate from Makati Medical Center was also presented yesterday which states that Binay is “physically and mentally fit for his candidacy as President of the Republic of the Philippines.”

The medical certificate was issued on March 18, 2016 signed by three doctors during a medical check-up on January 27, 2016.

“Meron pa kaming i-representa sana. Pinapalabas kasi nila na nakapangit ng aming pamamahala sa Makati,” Binay said.

He showed a copy of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (Makati City) when he was mayor issued by the late Interior Sec. Jesse Robredo.

Binay made the dare after a report by the AMLC leaked finding alleged billions in deposits stashed in joint bank accounts between Binay and his alleged dummies.

According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report quoting the bank findings, the AMLC said Binay had billions of funds in joint accounts with alleged dummies – which he purportedly earned from the allegedly overpriced Makati car park building, Makati Science High School building, and cakes for senior citizens – to finance his 2010 vice presidential bid.

The AMLC earlier said Binay had 242 joint accounts with his alleged dummies which kept P11 billion since 2008. /With an Inquirer report