A lawmaker on Wednesday urged Congress to conduct an inquiry into how the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) operates, citing reports of irregular and unexplained financial transactions dating back to 2005 that may require stronger oversight and updated safeguards.

During the third impeachment hearing of Vice President Sara Duterte, Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-Jay” Suarez said that AMLC systems should be reviewed to determine whether the agency remains effective in monitoring modern financial activity and in addressing large-scale suspicious transactions flagged over the years.

Suarez said data presented during the hearing showed a pattern of substantial transactions that, based on submitted documents, appeared difficult to explain.

“Klarong-klaro na kailangan natin tingnan ang AMLC kung sila ba ay in tune pa rin sa makabagong mundo kung ano pa ba ang kailangan natin gawin upang mas palakasin ang kanilang ahensya,” Suarez said.

He suggested that either the banking intermediaries committee or the appropriate House panel may need to conduct a separate congressional inquiry aimed at strengthening AMLC’s mandate and enforcement capabilities.

“[I move] a request that the committee on banking intermediaries or the proper committee conduct its own congressional inquiry in how to further strengthen and how to further provide teeth to the operations of AMLC moving forward," he said.

The Justice Committee chairperson acknowledged Suarez’s statement, noting the proposal to look into ways of enhancing the agency’s ability to combat money laundering and fulfill its regulatory functions.

During the hearing, AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura presented data indicating that the total value of covered and suspicious transactions linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her spouse, Atty. Manases Carpio reached approximately 6.77 billion pesos based on bank reports.

The AMLC also said Duterte’s accounts recorded hundreds of large and flagged transactions over a span of two decades, with some individual transactions reaching as high as 55.16 million pesos.

The Vice President did not appear during the third session of the impeachment proceedings.