Senate grills general's in-law over P255-M cash deposits

UPDATED 11:10 p.m. - Edgardo Yambao, the brother-in-law of former military comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, was grilled during a Senate hearing on Thursday because of the supposed P255 million cash inflow to his bank accounts from 2001 to 2005.


Senator Franklin Drilon said records of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) indicate that around P255 million in peso and dollar deposits were made to the Citibank, Metrobank, and United Overseas Bank accounts of Yambao.

"Our records indicate that you deposited and withdrew in about three accounts dollars and pesos sizable sums of money," said the senator, who also chairs the Senate finance committee.

Yambao initially denied being the owner of the accounts but then recanted when Drilon asked if he would waive his right to the accounts as these were supposedly not his.

"Meron po akong account dati sa Citibank, Metrobank, UOB (pero) di ko matandaan yung figures (I had accounts with Citibank, Metrobank, and UOB but I don't remember those figures)," Yambao said during the hearing.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile asked Yambao whether anyone can withdraw and deposit money to his accounts without his knowledge.

Yambao, however, denied knowing about the deposits supposedly made to his account.

"So far wala po akong natatandaan (So far I cannot remember)," he said.