The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) of the Philippines recently announced the results of an investigation, which drew regulatory attention to Jaypee "Peejay" De Leon Mendoza, the former head of the First Engineering District of Bulacan Province under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), due to unusual financial movements. The investigation revealed that despite his monthly salary of about 98,000 pesos, the total amount of money moved in several bank accounts associated with him over the past few years exceeded 600 million pesos.
According to AMLC, Mendoza opened 33 accounts in various banks, some of which were jointly held with family members and colleagues, including another engineer involved, Brice Ericson Hernandez. From 2012 to 2025, these accounts had 2625 transactions each exceeding 500,000 pesos, with the largest transaction being 25.5 million pesos. The total inflow in these accounts during this period was about 286.4 million pesos, and the total outflow was about 304.6 million pesos.
AMLC specifically pointed out that Mendoza frequently engaged in financial activities in casinos from 2023 to 2025. Data shows that in 2024, his total betting amount reached 287.5 million pesos, with losses of about 111.1 million pesos. Over three years, he repeatedly exchanged chips and cash, involving hundreds of millions of pesos. Additionally, some transactions were conducted under aliases, with three marked as "confidential transactions" ranging from 5.2 million to 30 million pesos.
The investigation also uncovered that Mendoza had publicly shared his communications with a former DPWH engineer, involving discussions about the allocation of funds for government projects. Another person involved, Hernandez, also mentioned other government officials and the operation of project funds during the investigation. Mendoza reportedly received threats to his personal safety during the investigation and has since applied for additional security protection.
AMLC stated that the sources of some cash deposits are still unclear, and the identities of the beneficiaries of some transactions are still being verified, raising suspicions of potential money laundering and improper financial activities. The investigation is still ongoing, and AMLC has not further commented on the case.
