Atty. Manases 'Mans' Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, announced intentions to press charges against key financial and legislative officials for purported violations of financial secrecy and privacy laws.
Manases “Mans” Carpio, husband of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, has declared that he will file a criminal complaint against officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and members of the House Committee on Justice. This move alleges breaches of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), bank secrecy laws, and the Data Privacy Act. According to a statement released by Carpio’s legal team on Sunday, BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr., AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, and House justice committee members—including Representatives Gerville Luistro, Percival Cendaña, Chel Diokno, and Leila De Lima—are accused of disclosing confidential banking information.
Carpio’s lawyers emphasized that the records in question are protected under existing laws designed to preserve the security and confidentiality of banking and financial data. Carpio expressed that his legal action is not only in defense of his family but also in protection of the broader banking community and the public. He highlighted that Section 8A of the AMLA strictly prohibits any disclosure of bank reports submitted to the AMLC without exception.
The complaint states that private transaction records, including insurance payments, time deposits, investments, and utility bill payments, were leaked and allegedly used for “black propaganda and political harassment,” particularly with an eye on the upcoming 2028 national elections, for which Vice President Duterte has announced her candidacy.
In response, Representative Leila De Lima remarked that she will withhold further comment until the complaint is officially obtained but maintained that the House Committee on Justice’s proceedings are lawful. She noted that impeachment proceedings are unique in nature and not subject to bank secrecy prohibitions, explaining that the committee subpoenaed information on suspicious and covered transactions linked to Duterte and Carpio rather than direct bank accounts.
The AMLC has reported covered and suspicious bank transactions amounting to roughly 6.7 billion Philippine pesos involving Duterte and Carpio between 2006 and 2025. The volumes are split approximately with 3.7 billion pesos attributed to Vice President Duterte and 3 billion pesos linked to Carpio, with additional transactions of uncertain inflows and outflows. GMA News Online continues to seek comments from other implicated parties and will provide updates as available.
Sources referenced:
- https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/985377/mans-carpio-readies-raps-vs-bsp-amlc-house-over-bank-secrecy-privacy-breaches/story/