Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (RA 9160)
AN ACT DEFINING THE CRIME OF MONEY LAUNDERING, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and preserve the
integrity and confidentiality of bank accounts and to ensure that the Philippines shall not be used as a
money laundering site for the proceeds of any unlawful activity. Consistent with its foreign policy, the
State shall extend cooperation in transnational investigations and prosecutions of persons involved in
money laundering activities wherever committed.
SEC. 3. Definitions. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are hereby defined as follows:
(a) "Covered institution" refers to:
(1) banks, non-banks, quasi-banks, trust entities, and all other institutions and their subsidiaries and
affiliates supervised or regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);
(2) insurance companies and all other institutions supervised or regulated by the Insurance Commission;
and
(3) (i) securities dealers, brokers, salesmen, investment houses and other similar entities managing
securities or rendering services as investment agent, advisor, or consultant, (ii) mutual funds, close-end
investment companies, common trust funds, pre-need companies and other similar entities, (iii) foreign
exchange corporations, money changers, money payment, remittance, and transfer companies and
other similar entities, and (iv) other entities administering or otherwise dealing in currency, commodities
or financial derivatives based thereon, valuable objects, cash substitutes and other similar monetary
instruments or property supervised or regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission and Exchange
Commission
(b) "Covered transaction" is a single, series, or combination of transactions involving a total amount in
excess of Four million Philippine pesos (Php4,000,000.00) or an equivalent amount in foreign currency
based on the prevailing exchange rate within five (5) consecutive banking days except those between a
covered institution and a person who, at the time of the transaction was a properly identified client and
the amount is commensurate with the business or financial capacity of the client; or those with an
underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose, origin or economic justification.
It likewise refers to a single, series or combination or pattern of unusually large and complex
transactions in excess of Four million Philippine pesos (Php4,000,000.00) especially cash deposits and
investments having no credible purpose or origin, underlying trade obligation or contract.
(c) "Monetary instrument" refers to:
, (1) coins or currency of legal tender of the Philippines, or of any other country;
(2) drafts, checks and notes;
(3) securities or negotiable instruments, bonds, commercial papers, deposit certificates, trust
certificates, custodial receipts or deposit substitute instruments, trading orders, transaction tickets and
confirmations of sale or investments and money market instruments; and
(4) other similar instruments where title thereto passes to another by endorsement, assignment or
delivery.
(d) "Offender" refers to any person who commits a money laundering offense.
(e) "Person" refers to any natural or juridical person.
(f) "Proceeds" refers to an amount derived or realized from an unlawful activity.
(g) "Supervising Authority" refers to the appropriate supervisory or regulatory agency, department or
office supervising or regulating the covered institutions enumerated in Section 3(a).
(h) "Transaction" refers to any act establishing any right or obligation or giving rise to any contractual or
legal relationship between the parties thereto. It also includes any movement of funds by any means
with a covered institution.
(i) "Unlawful activity" refers to any act or omission or series or combination thereof involving or having
relation to the following:
(1) Kidnapping for ransom under Article 267 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as the Revised Penal
Code, as amended;
(2) Sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of Article Two of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, otherwise known as
the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972;
(3) Section 3 paragraphs B, C, E, G, H and I of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended; otherwise known as
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act;
(4) Plunder under Republic Act No. 7080, as amended;
(5) Robbery and extortion under Articles 294, 295, 296, 299, 300, 301 and 302 of the Revised Penal
Code, as amended;
(6) Jueteng and Masiao punished as illegal gambling under Presidential Decree No. 1602;
(7) Piracy on the high seas under the Revised Penal Code, as amended and Presidential Decree No. 532;
(8) Qualified theft under Article 310 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended;
(9) Swindling under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended;
AN ACT DEFINING THE CRIME OF MONEY LAUNDERING, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect and preserve the
integrity and confidentiality of bank accounts and to ensure that the Philippines shall not be used as a
money laundering site for the proceeds of any unlawful activity. Consistent with its foreign policy, the
State shall extend cooperation in transnational investigations and prosecutions of persons involved in
money laundering activities wherever committed.
SEC. 3. Definitions. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are hereby defined as follows:
(a) "Covered institution" refers to:
(1) banks, non-banks, quasi-banks, trust entities, and all other institutions and their subsidiaries and
affiliates supervised or regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);
(2) insurance companies and all other institutions supervised or regulated by the Insurance Commission;
and
(3) (i) securities dealers, brokers, salesmen, investment houses and other similar entities managing
securities or rendering services as investment agent, advisor, or consultant, (ii) mutual funds, close-end
investment companies, common trust funds, pre-need companies and other similar entities, (iii) foreign
exchange corporations, money changers, money payment, remittance, and transfer companies and
other similar entities, and (iv) other entities administering or otherwise dealing in currency, commodities
or financial derivatives based thereon, valuable objects, cash substitutes and other similar monetary
instruments or property supervised or regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission and Exchange
Commission
(b) "Covered transaction" is a single, series, or combination of transactions involving a total amount in
excess of Four million Philippine pesos (Php4,000,000.00) or an equivalent amount in foreign currency
based on the prevailing exchange rate within five (5) consecutive banking days except those between a
covered institution and a person who, at the time of the transaction was a properly identified client and
the amount is commensurate with the business or financial capacity of the client; or those with an
underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose, origin or economic justification.
It likewise refers to a single, series or combination or pattern of unusually large and complex
transactions in excess of Four million Philippine pesos (Php4,000,000.00) especially cash deposits and
investments having no credible purpose or origin, underlying trade obligation or contract.
(c) "Monetary instrument" refers to:
, (1) coins or currency of legal tender of the Philippines, or of any other country;
(2) drafts, checks and notes;
(3) securities or negotiable instruments, bonds, commercial papers, deposit certificates, trust
certificates, custodial receipts or deposit substitute instruments, trading orders, transaction tickets and
confirmations of sale or investments and money market instruments; and
(4) other similar instruments where title thereto passes to another by endorsement, assignment or
delivery.
(d) "Offender" refers to any person who commits a money laundering offense.
(e) "Person" refers to any natural or juridical person.
(f) "Proceeds" refers to an amount derived or realized from an unlawful activity.
(g) "Supervising Authority" refers to the appropriate supervisory or regulatory agency, department or
office supervising or regulating the covered institutions enumerated in Section 3(a).
(h) "Transaction" refers to any act establishing any right or obligation or giving rise to any contractual or
legal relationship between the parties thereto. It also includes any movement of funds by any means
with a covered institution.
(i) "Unlawful activity" refers to any act or omission or series or combination thereof involving or having
relation to the following:
(1) Kidnapping for ransom under Article 267 of Act No. 3815, otherwise known as the Revised Penal
Code, as amended;
(2) Sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 of Article Two of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, otherwise known as
the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972;
(3) Section 3 paragraphs B, C, E, G, H and I of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended; otherwise known as
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act;
(4) Plunder under Republic Act No. 7080, as amended;
(5) Robbery and extortion under Articles 294, 295, 296, 299, 300, 301 and 302 of the Revised Penal
Code, as amended;
(6) Jueteng and Masiao punished as illegal gambling under Presidential Decree No. 1602;
(7) Piracy on the high seas under the Revised Penal Code, as amended and Presidential Decree No. 532;
(8) Qualified theft under Article 310 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended;
(9) Swindling under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended;
