Human rights advocate and public interest lawyer Atty. Audie Bucoy said the move of Atty. Mans Carpio to file criminal complaints over the alleged release of bank records may be interpreted as a defensive legal strategy rather than a direct challenge to the authenticity of the documents.
In an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, Bucoy responded to question regarding Carpio’s plan to file cases for alleged violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Council Law, Bank Secrecy Law, and Data Privacy Act against individuals who reportedly disclosed bank records.
Bucoy said that, in his view, a party disputing the authenticity of records would normally address the allegations directly rather than focus on penalizing those who released the information.
“Kung meron siyang depensa, kaya niyang panindigan yung kanyang posisyon na ito ay lehitimo. dapat sinagot niya punto per punto,” Bucoy said.
“Kung kayo ay inakusahan ng isang krimen, ano ba ang natural na reaction ng tao? Ang natural na reaction ng tao ay, sagutin mo kung bakit mo itinatanggi. Hindi yung hahadlangan mo, haharangan mo yung proseso," he added.
He further stated that filing cases could be seen as an attempt to prevent further scrutiny, though he emphasized the statement reflected his personal opinion.
"Ito yung kanyang stratehiya eh, hadlangan para hindi sila makapagpaliwanag. Bakit hinahadlangan? Kasi wala silang paliwanag. Yan ang aking opinion."
Bucoy argued that such legal action may suggest a lack of direct rebuttal to the allegations, saying it could be interpreted as avoiding substantive explanation.
He also drew a parallel to previous legal actions involving Vice President Sara Duterte, claiming that similar patterns of seeking court intervention instead of directly addressing accusations have been observed. He noted that these views were his own assessment of the legal strategy.
The remarks come amid ongoing public debate over the legality and implications of the alleged release of sensitive financial documents, which have not yet been independently verified in court.
