RCBC filed defamation case to deceive Filipinos: Law minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Philippines has filed the defamation case against Bangladesh Bank to deceive the Filipinos.
“The government of Philippines and its senate had held RCBC responsible of hacking into the Bangladesh Bank (BB) reserve,” he said, while talking to reporters after a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi at his secretariat office.The law minister said that the role of RCBC officials in this regard did not seem to fall under lawful conduct.
“It will not be defamatory if Bangladesh Bank files another case against them following legal procedures”, Anisul Huq said.
RCBC recently filed a defamation suit against the central bank of Bangladesh for “baseless allegation” in connection with the $81 million cyber heist three years ago. The case was filed with Regional Trial Court in Makati City of Manila on March 6.
A notice was served to BB Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razee Hasan and other officials, earlier this week.
RCBC argued in the case staement that its “reputation has come under vicious and public attack by Bangladesh Bank since 2016.”
Bangladesh Bank sued RCBC last month in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in relation to a money laundering scandal in 2016. Some $81 million that was stolen by cyberhackers from BB slipped into RCBC's branch on Jupiter St. in Makati City, quickly withdrawn and eventually laundered through local casinos.
Asked about his meeting with the Japanese ambassador, the law minister said, Japan has sought support for its candidate running for the post of justice of the international court.
“I told him that I will let him know after consulting with the prime minister, as no candidate from Bangladesh will contest for the post,” he said.
During the meeting, the law minister also updated Hiroyasu Izumi about the trial of Holey Artisan terrorist attack case, saying that the trial court has so far recorded statements from 17 witnesses.
Replying to a question, the minister said government has no plans to establish courts at upazila level.
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