‘Frozen’ bank accounts found already dissipated

As concerned citizens, let us validate news reports regarding the government’s anticorruption drive.

Take as examples these two cases:

1. The P130-million forfeiture case against the Coronas before the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division. Equivalent assets were ordered frozen by the antigraft court, but out of the millions in bank deposits, only P7,580.98 was left—P1,056.27 in a Bank of the Philippine Islands account, and P6,524.71 in a Philippine National Bank account.
2. Sen. Bong Revilla’s case of plunder. The Sandiganbayan’s First Division ordered the sheriff to secure 43 bank accounts—22 of which were in Revilla’s name, 12 in his wife’s; eight others were their joint bank accounts.

After combing through bank accounts owned by Senator Revilla, the sheriff’s office revealed that only P291,205.62 is deposited in the accounts that remain open.

These two cases are enough to open our eyes to the real situation: The banks and the courts do not act with solicitude in ensuring the recovery of stolen funds. There may be other properties covered by the freeze order but the Sandiganbayan has already been hoodwinked.

As taxpayers, we must let it be known that we are aware that this is happening because of collusion, bribery and other shenanigans and that we are not fooled by reports, news items and court issuances.

Let’s act and insist that public servants perform their responsibilities.

—MARK E. PARAS JR. and RAMON DIÑO, [email protected]