Leyte NGO calls on AMLC to unfreeze bank accounts

The head of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Palo, Leyte on Wednesday called on the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to unfreeze their bank accounts, which she said was used for humanitarian aid.

Leyte Center for Development Inc. Executive Director Jazmin Jerusalem made the call during the protest of human rights groups against the Anti-Terror Act of 2020 before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Please unfreeze our accounts. Kasi we’re a poor NGO. We help government deliver basic services to poor communities na sinalanta ng bagyo, disaster survivors. We’ve been doing that since 1988. 36 years na kami,” Jerusalem said in an interview.

GMA News Online has sought comment from AMLC but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

According to Jerusalem, the bank accounts of the NGO’s staff and suppliers were frozen in May this year, supposedly for financing terrorism.

She stressed that this was done without a court case against them.

“Nothing in court. It was just a resolution from the AMLC… just a one-liner because we were supporting terrorist or financing terrorist. That was just it… We don’t have any court case. There’s nothing against us in court,” she said.

Jerusalem said this came as a “real shock” as the NGO has been operating for 36 years or since 1988 in Samar and Leyte. She said they serve at least an average of 25,000 individuals yearly in terms of emergency response.

“Foods, solar lamps, mats, blankets. Water. So we will be depriving these people of aid. And we’re helping the government. We’re complimenting government’s efforts to solve poverty,” Jerusalem said.

The NGO has also received awards such as the Salamat Po Award, the Gawad Kalasag Award, and the Most Outstanding NGO in Voluntary Work award, according to Jerusalem.

Due to the resolution, however, they had to stop their projects

Aside from affecting their projects, Jerusalem said the freezing of their bank accounts is also affecting their daily lives. 

“That’s our lifeline. So we’re calling on AMLC, please naman have due process and justice. You’re like killing us. You’re like killing us because you took away our lifeline, both personal accounts and organizational,” she said.

“We don’t have any other recourse. Where will we get food? Money to buy food? And payment for basic needs. So sabi ko nga, you’re slowly killing us, all of us,” she added.

Jerusalem said they have filed their pleadings before the Court of Appeals.

“We only have the court to resort to. I believe that there’s still justice in our country. So I really just trust the justice system in our country,” she said.

The protest of the human rights groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan coincided with the 4th anniversary of the signing of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“We have already seen in the past four years how draconian laws on terrorism and terrorist financing have been used not against terrorist but weaponized against ordinary citizens,” Bayan Secretary General Raymond Palatino said in a statement. 

“The first step is for the DOJ public prosecutors to withdraw all such cases,” he added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News