Around 1,000 alleged claimants stormed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Malate, Manila on Wednesday, May 8, in a bid to collect their share of the alleged hidden wealth of the country.
Gilbert Langres, who led the group, said they want to claim their fully matured wealth worth P100 trillion
The claimants came all the way from Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Laguna, La Union, and Cagayan Valley.
Langres said they want the BSP to return the hidden wealth to the Filipino people.
He presented documents which he claimed were issued by the Treasury Department of the BSP in 2005.
In one of the documents, the supposed amount to be received by the Filipinos was written.
He also showed the 1987 Philippine Constitution where he said that an equitable distribution of income and wealth was indicated.
He said this proves that there is hidden wealth for the Filipino and it can be found at the BSP.
Most of the claimants were senior citizens who said that Langres told them that they would get a huge amount of money from the BSP.
In 2016, Langres said that he went to the BSP to claim the hidden wealth but he was asked allegedly by the officials of the BSP:, “Where are the people?”
He returned eight years later with at least 1,000 claimants.
The BSP has clarified that it is not giving away money, particularly hidden wealth, to Filipinos.
Instead, it said, it provides a dividend to the government to contribute to programs that can improve the livelihood of Filipinos.