Remolona pointed out that the budget boost came nearly a year after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on the flood control scandal highlighted gaps in the country's anti-money laundering efforts amid massive cash transactions involving contractors.

Responding to a question by Lacson, Remolona said the AMLC allocated P125-million out of the additional funding to strengthen its AI capability.

"Sa exercise na lang ng oversight namin, nasaan na tayo ngayon sa naitulong naming kaunting halaga na P162M? Nag-improve ba capacity ng AMLC (As part of our oversight function, where are we now in terms of the P162 million we helped provide? Did it improve the AMLC's capacity)?" Lacson had asked Remolona.

"Ang P125-million, napunta yan sa AI; tapos ang capacity building. Kailangan din ng mga experts sa paggamit ng AI. So gamit na gamit po ang budget na yan (P125 million went to AI, as well as capacity building. We need experts who can use AI. So the budget was put to good use)," Remolona said in response.

When Lacson asked if the P162-million boost helped the AMLC, Remolona said, "Absolutely.”

In November last year, the Senate finance committee under then-chairman and now-Senate President Gatchalian restored the proposed budget of the AMLC for 2026 to P333-million, following Lacson's strong recommendation.

From P170.161-million alloted for the AMLC under the National Expenditure Program (NEP), AMLC’s budget was restored to P333-million in the Senate version of the budget bill.Prior to this, Lacson lamented that the AMLC merely got “crumbs” in the NEP and said he would help secure the funding it needs to fight money laundering and corruption. 

During one of the Blue Ribbon hearings on the flood control anomalies, it was discovered how contractor Sally Santos, owner of Syms Construction, withdrew P457-million in cash in a single day in March and in April 2025, or within a period of just nine (9) days. 

Santos, at the time, delivered the cash to dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez.

Lacson also noted at the time that the AMLC had proposed to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) a budget of P333.1 million for 2026, but had only P170.161-million in recommended appropriations under the NEP.

The senator noted that the additional requirements of the AMLC are “smaller than the commissions and SOPs demanded by corrupt officials in the DPWH as well as some legislator-proponents, among others."

Also during the DBCC meeting, Gatchalian urged the BSP and the AMLC to strengthen safeguards against corruption and fraud to protect the country's economic growth.

In response, Remolona said that the AMLC is deploying AI to analyze millions of Covered and Suspicious Transaction Reports, but noted that existing bank secrecy laws and strict legal requirements for court-issued freeze orders continue to limit the reach of the council's investigative powers.