House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (Leyte 1st District) has filed House Bill No. 7, seeking to amend the Bank Secrecy Law to effectively combat corruption, fraud, and other financial crimes. This initiative aims to eradicate illicit activities that undermine public trust and enhance transparency within the financial system.

Limitations of Obsolete Law and the Need for Amendment 

The Bank Secrecy Law (Republic Act No. 1405) was originally enacted to encourage savings and build trust in banks. However, Romualdez pointed out that the current law is being exploited to conceal illicit activities such as money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption, making it difficult for regulators and investigators to uncover these crimes. He emphasized, "In its present form, this law is used to conceal illicit activities. This must change."

Indeed, the Philippines has long faced international pressure to shed its image as a haven for money laundering and financial crimes. Notably, the 2016 Bangladesh Bank hacking incident, where a large sum of stolen money was laundered through Philippine banks, starkly exposed the loopholes in the Philippine Bank Secrecy Law. Such incidents have amplified calls from international bodies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the Philippines to improve its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) framework. The current law severely impedes financial crime investigations by prohibiting access to bank account information except under extremely limited circumstances, such as by court order or, exceptionally, by an independent auditor.

Key Provisions of House Bill No. 7

House Bill No. 7, filed by Romualdez at the opening of the 20th Congress, aims to grant the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) the authority to examine bank deposits, especially foreign currency accounts, under the following strict and limited conditions:

Expanded Investigative Powers: The bill permits deposit examinations when the Monetary Board of the BSP finds reasonable grounds to suspect fraud or financial irregularities involving bank management, stockholders, employees, or institutions under BSP supervision.

Broadened Scope: The bill includes investigations into closed banks and applies to all foreign currency accounts, with the exception of those in member-based savings associations.

Enhanced Information Protection: BSP's investigation findings are to be strictly for internal use and will only be shared with specific agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Department of Justice (DOJ), or the courts, only when legally required.

Protection for Banks and Employees: The bill clarifies the definition of "deposits" and ensures full protection for banks and financial institutions that comply with legitimate BSP orders. Banks, officers, or employees will not incur any liability for good faith compliance.

Stricter Penalties for Unlawful Disclosure: Unauthorized disclosure of information will be met with severe penalties, including imprisonment of two to ten years and fines ranging from PHP 50,000 to PHP 2,000,000, to maintain the integrity of the system.
Romualdez stressed, "We want to send a clear message that the Philippines should no longer be a safe haven for dirty money." He added, "If we want honest governance and a robust financial system, we must amend the law and provide regulators with the necessary tools to protect the people's money."

The bill was co-authored by Tingog Party-list Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre. The passage of House Bill No. 7 is expected to play a crucial role in enabling the Philippines to make significant progress in the fight against international financial crime and enhance the credibility of its financial system.