Raps set vs. perpetrators of UCBP cyber heist

FILE: Former Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno is the new Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He succeeds the late Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. who died last February 23. (PNA photo by Oliver F. Marquez)

MANILA – Officials of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) are set to file charges against the perpetrators of the cyber theft that cost the bank some PHP167 billion in June 2020.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno, in a virtual briefing Thursday, said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) continues to lead the investigation on the cyber crime.

“Based on the results of their investigation, UCPB is expected to file the necessary charges against the perpetrators of the cyber attack,” he said.

UCBP officials, earlier, assured their account holders that their funds remain safe and that the bank has undertaken remedial measures to heighten cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, Diokno said the central bank has finished with the disqualification process and the inclusion in the BSP’s watch list the names of those involved the falsification of documents with regards to the missing USD2.1 billion Wirecard AG Funds.

“As a result, these people will be disqualified from entering the banking system,” he said.

Earlier, both BDO and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) denied involvement in the fraud and said they are doing their respective investigations on the alleged involvement of some of their officials.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat executive director Mel Georgie Racela also said some 57 individuals, including foreigners, are now considered as persons of interest with regards to the Wirecard issue.

Diokno said their decision to disqualify those involved in the case was based on the reports submitted by BDO and BPI.

“The BSP remains committed to engage (and) collaborate with BSFIs (BSP-supervised financial institutions), LEAs (law enforcement agencies), (and) key stakeholders to ensure the safety and integrity of the financial system,” he added.