Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, September 9, called on the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze the bank accounts of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials he accused of laundering kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects through casinos.
Speaking in his privilege speech titled “Flooded Gates of Hell”, Lacson said “glaring violations” of the Anti-Money Laundering Act by using casinos to disguise the origins of funds were committed by the so-called “BGC Boys” or the “Bulacan Group of Contractors” as described by casino workers, a group of former and current DPWH Bulacan district officials .
“The Anti-Money Laundering Act, as amended, is likewise violated as the proceeds of graft and plunder are transacted and converted by purchasing casino chips and subsequently cashing them out after minimal gaming, thereby disguising the true source of the funds,” Lacson said.
He urged the AMLC to “immediately initiate an action for the freezing of the bank accounts of these individuals and the subsequent prosecution for violating the law itself.”
The senator detailed how the group, composed of five DPWH engineers, allegedly lost and won hundreds of millions of pesos in casinos across Metro Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga.
He cited validated records from 13 casinos showing nearly ₱950 million in combined gross gambling losses, with some officials simultaneously posting massive “wins” that raised suspicion of money laundering.
Among those named were former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, and several subordinates.
According to Lacson, the officials even used aliases and fake driver’s licenses to gain casino entry, further violating the law.
He stressed that under the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act, casinos are “covered persons,” making gambling transactions subject to monitoring and investigation.
“The law is clear. The paper trail is clear. What we need now is swift enforcement,” Lacson added.
The Senate leader also linked the casino activities to systemic corruption in DPWH flood control projects, citing ghost and substandard infrastructure worth billions of pesos.
He argued that the lavish gambling sprees were “paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of Filipino taxpayers” who continue to suffer from flooding in Bulacan and other provinces.
Lacson said his office has already submitted the names, aliases, and transaction records of the BGC Boys to the AMLC.
“We cannot allow them to thrive in the shadows any longer. It is time to give them what they rightly deserve — criminal prosecution and the freezing of their ill-gotten wealth,” he said.
