Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura takes the witness stand for cross-examination by the defense on the 34th day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Buenaventura is testifying on financial records under scrutiny in connection with allegations of unexplained wealth against the Vice President. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Suspicious transaction reports (STRs) filed with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) are not conclusions that the transactions involved illegal activities, an official testified Tuesday during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura made the statement during cross-examination by defense lawyer Mark Vinluan, who asked whether the filing of STRs was a "compliance measure and not a legal conclusion of illegal activity."
"It's a requirement under the law," Buenaventura said, referring to the filing of STRs.
"We cannot determine illegality on the premise of just a report," added Buenaventura, who is also a lawyer.
This comes a day after Buenaventura said the AMLC received 55 STRs and 666 covered transaction reports (CTRs) involving the bank accounts of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, from 2007 to 2025.
READ: AMLC received reports on P4.4-B transactions involving Sara Duterte, husband
Banks and other financial entities file a CTR to the AMLC when a transaction of P500,000 or more is made within one banking day.
Meanwhile, an STR has no automatic monetary threshold and is filed when an account or transaction exhibits suspicious circumstances as defined under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Buenaventura said it was up to the courts to determine whether a transaction constituted money laundering.
LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte's Impeachment Trial (Day 34)
During Monday's proceedings, Buenaventura also read out STRs involving Duterte's bank accounts, which were filed based on news reports mentioning the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control controversy, shabu importation, and malversation of public funds.
Vinluan asked whether the STRs alone could prove that Duterte's transactions were linked to the flood control controversy, shabu importation, and malversation of public funds. Buenaventura said they could not.
"We have to conduct pa po analysis and investigation, if warranted," Buenaventura said.
Buenaventura also confirmed, upon questioning by Vinluan, that the CTRs and STRs did not, by themselves, prove that Duterte committed money laundering through companies linked to her.
The impeachment court is hearing allegations that Duterte amassed unexplained wealth.
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