William Go files 2 more forgery complaints vs Deguito, Torres

MANILA, Philippines – Two more criminal complaints for falsifying documents were filed against sacked Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Jupiter-Makati branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito and senior customer relations officer Angela Ruth Torres by Filipino-Chinese businessman William Go.

Go – whose name appeared in the purported peso and dollar accounts used in the $81-million Bangladesh Bank fund heist – went to the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, March 31, to present evidence which he said would pin down Deguito and Torres in “faking identification cards and forging signature.” (READ: 2 more criminal complaints against Deguito, Torres to be filed ‘very soon’)

The former owner of S&R Membership Shopping said in his affidavits that on March 21, he was able to secure a copy of an independent report of Truth Verifier Systems, Incorporated, confirming that his signatures in the RCBC Customer Relationship form on February 1, 2016 were forged. 

The RCBC Customer Relationship form is used to open accounts. (READ: 4 new names emerge at Senate probe into Bangladesh Bank heist)

“The account opening documents show that Deguito approved the opening of the subject account and Torres conducted the validation,” Go said in his affidavit.

In another affidavit, the Filipino-Chinese businessman used the testimonies of Romualdo Agarrado, former RCBC Jupiter branch customer service head, during the Senate probe on March 17.

Agarrado told the Senate blue ribbon committee that Deguito tried to bribe him with P5 million at the Forbes Park home of another bank officer on February 12. (READ: TIMELINE: Tracing the $81-million fund stolen from Bangladesh Bank)

He said the bribery attempt was made more than a week after he witnessed P20 million being withdrawn from the “fake” bank account of Go.

Agarrado added that he saw the P20 million loaded into the car of Deguito, who reportedly left with the money.

It was on February 4 when the laundered money was consolidated and deposited in a dollar account of Go for DBA Centurytex Trading. The account was opened on the same day.

“They just forged Mr Go’s signatures and presented fake postal and driver’s license. What’s even funny is that the driver’s license was issued on February 5, 2016 and the photo wasn’t even Mr. Go,” Ramon Esguerra, the businessman’s lawyer, had told Rappler.

On March 18, Go filed his first criminal complaint against Deguito and Torres for falsifying his signatures and making it appear that he signed a withdrawal slip of P20 million from Centurytex Trading’s supposed peso account.

Go is the sole proprietor of brokerage Centurytex Trading, which services the importation of international garment labels such as Guess, Vans, Mango, Terranova, and US-based ice cream parlor chain Cold Stone Creamery. 

Go said he only has a corporate account with RCBC’s TriNoma branch. 

The Senate blue ribbon committee will conduct its fourth hearing on the Bangladesh Bank fund heist on Tuesday, April 5. – Rappler.com