THE Court of Appeals has given the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) the go-signal to investigate the bank documents belonging to the former officer of Citibank and several others in relation to a qualified theft case lodged against them.

In a six-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Ramon Garcia, the appellate court’s former fifth division granted the bank inquiry application filed by the council.

“The [AMLC] is given the authority to inquire into or examine the bank accounts of respondents Francis Bryan Ang; Edsal Alvarez and Edsel’s Toy Card Shop; Virtual Guide Systems Development Inc.; Virtual Guide Systems Corporate Holdings, Philippines Inc.; Esther Ang, Philip Keith Ang and Steven Ryan Uy; Belina Cancio-Cobb and Nikko Mart; and Courtside Inc., Oliver Ang Salud, Joanne Salud and Sherjack Siao, maintained in various banking institutions,” the resolution stated.

Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Amelita Tolentino and Samuel Gaerlan.

The appellate court ruled that it found probable cause that the bank accounts of Francis Bryan Ang and his co-accused are related to the qualified theft charges lodged against them.

Recently, the appeals court issued a freeze order on the bank accounts and motor vehicles of Ang who allegedly carted away millions of pesos and went missing for years. He is the eldest son of Manila Councilor Bernie Ang.

The order was released to avoid the possibility that the funds in the subject bank accounts will be withdrawn and placed beyond the reach of law enforcers.

Ang’s bank accounts in Citibank, Banco de Oro, Unibank, Citicorp Financial Services & Insurance Brokerage, East West Bank, HSBC, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Metrobank, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Allied Bank, Union Bank, Phil. National Bank, Sterling Bank of Asia and Union Bank, were among those ordered frozen by the appellate court.

Ang’s accounts maintained in Fubon Bank (Hong Kong Ltd.), Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, on the other hand, were exempted. But, four other motor vehicles belonging to him were frozen.

The case stemmed from Citibank’s discovery in July 2010 of “fraudulent bank transactions and other irregularities” allegedly committed by Ang in its Binondo Branch.

The criminal complaint against Ang claimed that he tampered with the accounts of the said bank’s clients by simulating transactions including fund transfers, cash withdrawals and applications for manager’s checks, by forging the signatures of clients in bank documents, among others.