By Mikee Garcia
(June 7, 2022) – A Youtube video claimed that the late former President Benigno Aquino III and some members of his Cabinet allegedly stole and illegally deposited 3,500 metric tons of gold in Thailand in 2014.
This claim is false.
CLAIM:
In the video uploaded last June 3 on the Kapatid Avinidz Youtube channel entitled, “Ang itinatagong lihim ng regimeng Aquino,” the narrator cited a purported circular issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) regarding a previously debunked gold shipment scandal.
The document claimed that Aquino and six of his officials deposited 3,500 metric tons of gold to the Bank of Thailand in 2014, amounting to US$141 billion, and authorizing the Centennial Energy Company Limited to “produce and issue the United States Dollars currency” to fund “humanitarian projects and for ASEAN countries.”
Those allegedly involved in the scandal were former justice secretary Senator Leila de Lima, former interior secretary Mar Roxas, former BSP governor Amando Tetangco Jr., former finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former Treasury Department chief dealer Lorelei Fernandez, and former senate president Frank Drilon.
RATING: FALSE
FACTS:
Graft and plunder raps against Aquino and his allies were filed at the Ombudsman in January 2017 by lawyer Fernando Perito and one Rogelio Cantonia who claimed to have worked for the BSP from 1976 to 1995.
But the complaint was based on a spurious BSP document.
BSP Circular No. 49 was issued back in September 1994 and does not concern the production of US currency notes which then BSP Assistant Governor and General Counsel Elmore Capule clarified is outside of the BSP’s jurisdiction.
Circulars issued in the year 2014 also have three digits.
Republic Act No. 7655 pertains to a law increasing the minimum wage of househelpers while Republic Act No. 7735 was on the establishment of a national high school in Davao.
Capule further explained that BSP circulars are signed only by BSP officials, therefore a purported BSP issued circular cannot have three cabinet secretaries, the senate president, and the governor as signatories.
Furthermore, data from the World Gold Council shows that the Philippines’ highest record of gold reserves only reached 274.4 tons in 2003 or 7.84 percent of the allegedly stolen 3,500 tons of gold in 2014.
WHY THIS MATTERS:
As of writing, the video has received 335,069 views, more than 15,000 likes, and 1,876 comments. The Kapatid Avinidz Youtube channel has over 382,000 subscribers.
News5 is part of #FactsFirstPH which brings together various sectors that are committed to promoting truth in the public space, and exacting accountability on those who harm it with lies. For those interested to join the initiative, e-mail info@factsfirst.ph. Message News 5’s Facebook page if you want to have any claims fact-checked.
Read our fact-checking policy here.
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