Senator-judge Sherwin Gatchalian underscored the unprecedented scale of the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) ₱125 million cash withdrawals.

Gatchalian pressed former LandBank Shaw Boulevard branch manager Violeta Constantino after she revealed that, in her 32 years with Landbank, the largest cash withdrawal she had handled before the OVP transactions was only around ₱500,000.

"So in your 32 years in Landbank, you have never seen a withdrawal of this large amount, ₱125 million. Correct?" he asked during the tenth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday.

Gatchalian noted that large private corporations operating in commercial hubs, like LBP Shaw Boulevard branch, transact using checks rather than taking out massive amounts in cash.

In response, Constantino said she could not recall if there were casual inquiries regarding the purpose of the funds, but maintained that LandBank remains compliant with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) reporting requirements for large-value transactions.

Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano said banks often ask questions when private accounts make deposits or withdrawals much larger than usual under the “know your customer” policy.

"Just because it is unusual, it doesn't mean it is illegal or whatever. Tama po ba?" Cayetano asked.

Constantino acknowledged that having unusual transactions does not mean that it is illegal.

Cayetano said it was important to distinguish between “covered,” “suspicious,” and “usual” or “unusual” transactions to avoid conclusions prejudicial to either the prosecution or the defense.

The impeachment trial resumes at 10 am on August 3. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau