The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) filed with the Office of the City Prosecutor of Tarlac on October 16, 2015 criminal charges against Ana Marie de Leon, former Manager of the closed First Provincial Bank, Inc. - Head Office for qualified theft.

The complaint alleged that de Leon took advantage of her position from 2008 to 2012 to make several unauthorized withdrawals for a total amount of PHP15.6 million from 38 deposit accounts.

First Provincial Bank, Inc. is a four-unit bank ordered closed by the Monetary Board and placed under receivership of the PDIC on April 19, 2012.

Specifically, the complaint stated that during the receivership, PDIC discovered that there were material discrepancies between the transactions posted in the bank's deposit records and those in the savings passbooks pertaining to the 38 depositors. Investigation revealed that the discrepancies were caused by the withdrawals against these deposit accounts without any authority from the depositors themselves. Based on records, these unauthorized withdrawals were personally transacted by de Leon who also personally received the amounts withdrawn from the affected deposit accounts.

The PDIC remains relentless in its pursuit of legal action against erring bank owners, officers and personnel to serve justice, protect the interests of the depositors and creditors; and send a stern warning against unscrupulous individuals who intend to take advantage of the deposit insurance system.

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The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) was established on June 22, 1963 by Republic Act 3591 to provide depositor protection and help maintain stability in the financial system by providing permanent and continuing deposit insurance. Effective June 1, 2009, the maximum deposit insurance coverage is P500,000 per depositor. All deposit accounts by a depositor in a closed bank maintained in the same right and capacity shall be added together. A joint account shall be insured separately from any individually-owned deposit account.

PDIC news/press releases and other information are available at the website, www.pdic.gov.ph.