MANILA — The Philippines' Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has secured a court order forfeiting more than P200,000 in funds linked to terrorism financing activities in the country and abroad.

In a statement issued on Monday, the state financial intelligence unit said the order covered funds held in the bank account of a Filipino identified as a facilitator for a foreign terrorist group.

"The AMLC has secured, in favor of the government, the forfeiture of P217,165.06 previously maintained in a bank account in the name of Abdulpatta Escalon Abubakar, pursuant to a favorable Decision of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 18," the AMLC said.

The council noted that the United Nations Security Council has tagged Mr. Abubakar as a terrorist for serving as a facilitator for the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). UN listings place designated individuals under a sanctions regime that requires member states, including the Philippines, to freeze their assets. International authorities earlier flagged Mr. Abubakar as behind a $50,000 transfer to Isnilon Hapilon, the recognized leader of Islamic State in Southeast Asia, with the money allegedly used for weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices.

"Abubakar came under the scrutiny of Philippine authorities following intelligence reports linking him to terrorism financing activities," the AMLC said.

"Law enforcement authorities reported that Abubakar facilitated the transfer of funds from Saudi Arabia to the Philippines through the wives and relatives of Abu Sayyaf Group members. These reports prompted a financial investigation into his bank accounts for possible violations of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012," it added.

The AMLC serves as the Philippines' financial intelligence unit and was established under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 to investigate money laundering and terrorism financing. The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 criminalizes the collection or provision of funds for terrorist acts and empowers authorities to freeze and forfeit related assets. Because the decision runs in favor of the government, the forfeited balance becomes state property rather than remaining available to the account holder.

Hapilon, a longtime leader of the southern Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group, was killed in the city of Marawi in October 2017 during government operations that ended a five-month siege by militants aligned with Islamic State. The Abubakar case illustrates how Philippine terror-financing matters can move from intelligence reports to court-enforced forfeiture years after the underlying transfers, putting the 2012 law's freeze-and-forfeit powers into practice.

Reporting by Katherine K. Chan. Source: BusinessWorld Online