NBI hunting down Ilocos Sur-based private firm’s cashier for carting away over P8M “Scammer to face 136 counts of money laundering too”

BAGUIO CITY (October 22, 2024) -- A former cashier of Magsingal, Ilocos Sur-based private firm Shellme Energy Resources Incorporated (SERI), is being hunted down after scamming her former employer with over P8 million.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also filed a total of 136 counts of violation of the the Anti- Money Laundering Law against Mary Ann Reynon-Arce, who accordingly took advantage of her position as a cashier at SERI and was able to embezzle SERI’s funds into her personal account a total amount of Eight Million One Hundred Fifteen Thousand and One Hundred Nine Pesos and Seventy Centavos (P8,115,109.70).

Arce, being SERI’s cashier, was responsible in preparing checks for SERI via online banking. But it was found out that she reprinted a total of 136 checks, 95 of which were encashed while 41 checks were traced to have been deposited to her personal account.

Aside from suing Arce for Qualified Theft, the NBI probed the Money Laundering aspect (of the Qualified Theft) in relation to Section 6 of R.A. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), pursuant to the directive of NBI Director, retired Judge Jaime Santiago.

Already a Warrant of Arrest for Qualified Theft in relation to Section 6 of R.A. 10175 was issued against her with no bail recommended, while the 136 counts of violation of the Anti- Money Laundering Law it has filed have undergone evaluation by the Vigan City Prosecutor’s Office, the NBI said.

The case was recommended on October 11, 2024, to be docketed for Preliminary Investigation by the Vigan City Prosecutor’s Office finding Arce’s scheme complete of the essential elements of money laundering.

Earlier this year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered government agencies to expedite efforts in addressing deliverables set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a Paris based inter-governmental body that sets Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Terrorism Financing (CTF) standards.

While the Philippines remains on the grey list of FATF- a list of countries that are actively working with FATF to improve their AML and CTF measures, recent efforts of the Philippines was recognized by FATF in its statement on 23 February 2024.

FATF has recognized that the Philippines has taken steps towards improving its AML and CTF by identifying and investigating Terrorism Financing cases.

Director Santiago said, the continuous investigation and filing of Money Laundering Cases “is a testament of the commitment (of the NBI) and support to the directive of the President”