A former bank official was arrested Friday for allegedly conspiring with fellow bank officers in falsifying documents that led to the embezzlement of around P40 million from a universal bank they worked for in Bulacan.
Elements of the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Fraud and Action Division (NBI-AFAD) arrested Editha Bucayo, 41, on Friday while she was visiting her parents’ house in Sta. Rita, Guiguinto, Bulacan.
According to NBI-AFAD Chief Czar Eric Nuqui, Bucayo has been on the run since 2014 when she resigned as assistant manager from the bank.
Nuqui said it took them several months of surveillance from the time the arrest warrant was issued by a Bulacan court in October 2015 to nab Bucayo.
Nuqui disclosed that Bucayo had conspired with two other bank officials, who remain at large, in falsifying commercial documents to be able to pilfer a huge amount of money from the bank depositors’ insurance accounts. The three left the bank after learning about the bank’s plan to audit their finances.
“This crime was perpetrated during their stint in the complainant bank as branch managers and officers. They were in a position of trust and confidence being officers of the bank and they have access to this huge fund that enabled them to eventually embezzle it through falsification of commercial documents,” Nuqui said.
Bucayo who will be facing seven counts of qualified theft which is non-bailable, vehemently denied all the allegations.
“Nadamay lang ako, wala talaga ako sa plano,” said Bucayo. “As officer kasi ‘yung ‘pag nag-aapprove kami ng transaction lalo na sa beyond authority limits ng kasama ko so kailangan ko magdual sign. Kailangan ko ring mag-approve.”
She bared that upon hearing about the case filed against her, she went back home to face it for the sake of his family and children. (Betheena Kae Unite)