Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Dennis Gasgonia

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has questioned Land Bank of the Philippines Malolos Highway Branch for allowing the release of P457 million in cash in just two days to Syms Construction, one of the DPWH contractors involved in the multibillion-peso infrastructure corruption issue.</p><p>“Ma’am, practice ba yan ng bangko na magre-release ng P457 million cash? Hindi ba red flag na yan dapat nire-report?&quot; the senator asked LandBank Malolos Highway head Ma. Lilibeth Lim. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/ex-dpwh-exec-roberto-bernardo-admits-wrongdoing-in-flood-control-fiasco-0916"><strong>Ex-DPWH exec Roberto Bernardo tags Escudero, Co, Revilla, Binay in kickbacks </strong></a></div><p>&quot;Ang gusto natin malaman nito eh complicit ba ang banking system natin sa ganitong klaseng corruption? Paano nangyayari na daang milyon, kalahating bilyong piso parang pikit mata ang ating banking system?” </p><p>Pangilinan expressed his concerns over how a state-owned bank allowed transactions amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos after Syms Construction owner Sally Santos admitted that she was able to take out P457 million in cash to deliver to former DPWH Bulacan 1st District assistant engineer Brice Hernandez.</p><p>“Bakit hindi tseke o manager’s check? Bakit walang patakaran ang bangko na ‘Teka muna,’” he asked. “Kasi kapag may tseke, meron din paper trail kaya cash, kaya P500 million cash sa loob ng dalawang araw.”</p><p>“Hindi napapansin ng ating government bank pa ho ito at most likely alam niyong government funds yung binayad don sa kliyente niyo.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/almost-100-of-bidding-in-flood-projects-rigged-ex-dpwh-exec-bernardo-1807"><strong>Almost 100% of bidding in flood projects &#x27;rigged&#x27;: Ex-DPWH exec Bernardo</strong></a></div><p>Under the law, Philippine banks can file a suspicious transaction report if a withdrawal goes beyond the P500,000 threshold, cited Pangilinan.</p><p>“So, hindi suspicious transactions yung kalahating bilyon na dalawang araw nilabas na cash?” he asked the LandBank manager.</p><p>“As a bank manager, it’s hard to believe na hindi kataka-taka na sa loob ng dalawang araw yung pondo ng gobyerno pwede ilabas na kalahating bilyong piso na basta-basta cash.”</p><p>When pressed to answer, Lim said she did not notice anything suspeicious about the transaction.</p><p>&quot;Hindi po kasi ako magtataka, mag-iisip ng anything negative since the funding is coming from the government na DPWH. Knowing it&#x27;s for the project so hindi po talaga ako nagtaka po,&quot; she said.</p><p>She added that she had no clue about the type of project where the money is supposed to be used.</p><p>&quot;To be honest I am not ang engineer... hindi ko po alam kung ano po ang project na yun or whatever. Since it&#x27;s a deposit account. Yung depositor lang po ang nakaakaalam.&quot;</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zgY97_qYe3Y??si=AoZ90SOoSR0ym07y&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has questioned Land Bank of the Philippines Malolos Highway Branch for allowing the release of P457 million in cash in just two days to Syms Construction, one of the DPWH contractors involved in the multibillion-peso infrastructure corruption issue.</p>

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has questioned Land Bank of the Philippines Malolos Highway Branch for allowing the release of P457 million in cash in just two days to Syms Construction, one of the DPWH contractors involved in the multibillion-peso infrastructure corruption issue.

Pangilinan grills LandBank manager: 'Bakit di na red flag ang P457-M cash withdrawal?'

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Pangilinan grills LandBank manager: 'Bakit di na red flag ang P457-M cash withdrawal?'

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 25, 2025 08:39 PM PHT

Read More:

Francis Pangilinan

Landbank

Brice Hernandez

Withdrawal

Flood Control Projects

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