Case Explained: Follow the money: UNODC and Ateneo Law School mark 25 years of UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime | News – Legal Perspective

On 14 November 2025, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), together with the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, and with support from the Government of the United Kingdom, marked the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) through a commemorative event held at the Ateneo Law School.

The commemoration coincided with the International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime, recently declared by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 78/267. This year’s theme — “Follow the Money” — underscored the importance of disrupting criminal financial networks as a strategy to weaken syndicates operating across borders.

Dignitaries from the diplomatic corps, senior Philippine officials, the justice sector, civil society, and youth leaders attended the event.
 

In his welcome remarks, Dean Jose Maria G. Hofileña greeted the dignitaries, partners, and participants, noting the Ateneo Law School’s honor in working with UNODC, with support from the Government of the United Kingdom, to mark the 25th anniversary of UNTOC. He emphasized that this milestone highlights both the durability of an instrument grounded in international cooperation and the continuing reality that transnational organized crime persists. While acknowledging this sobering fact, he stressed that without UNTOC and the collective efforts it enabled, the world today would be “unimaginably more precarious, unstable, and unsafe.” He closed by underscoring the importance of recognizing the Convention’s value with the same resolve needed to continue the work of making the world a safer place.

After the Dean’s message, Mr. Daniele Marchesi, UNODC Country Manager for the Philippines, reflected on the lessons of the Palermo Convention 25 years on, outlining four enduring pillars: strong political commitment, the centrality of “following the money” to disrupt criminal networks, the necessity of international cooperation, and the importance of prevention and youth resilience. He highlighted recent developments demonstrating progress in the Philippines, including the country’s removal from the FATF Grey List, strengthened tools for financial integrity, and its joining 71 other countries in signing a new cybercrime convention. Marchesi also commended the strong engagement of students at the event and emphasized that, as the guardian of UNTOC, UNODC stands ready to support countries by helping align laws, develop standard operating procedures, train practitioners, connect investigators across borders, and ensure that women, girls, and youth—often the most affected—are protected and empowered.
 

Executive Director Atty. Matthew M. David of the Anti-Money Laundering Council explained how modern technologies have enabled both greater financial inclusion and new opportunities for criminals to move illicit funds across borders. Citing the cross-border case involving former Mayor Alice Guo, he detailed how AMLC and PAOCC seized properties linked to the scheme and froze assets in Europe now subject to civil forfeiture proceedings, noting that the investigation involved multiple nationalities and complex offenses such as money laundering, human trafficking, and cyber-enabled fraud. He stressed that similar financial crimes are increasing “at a steady pace,” underscoring the need for universally accepted protocols, and highlighted how UNTOC mechanisms—particularly mutual legal assistance, extradition, and intelligence sharing—have supported AMLC’s investigations and will continue to guide its collaboration with other countries.

A recorded message from Senator Risa Hontiveros followed, focusing on how transnational organized crime increasingly targets Filipino women and children, particularly in digital spaces. Drawing from Senate investigations, she discussed how the POGO industry and scam hubs have fueled prostitution, trafficking, and online abuse, with social media and messaging apps being used to sell trafficked women. She also highlighted recent Senate findings on AI-generated sexual imagery using the likenesses of local female celebrities without consent. She emphasized that confronting these evolving threats requires laws that keep pace with technology, stronger community protection, sustained international cooperation, and the active involvement of young people.

Executive Director and Undersecretary Anthony Alcantara of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime underscored that while the forms of transnational organized crime have evolved dramatically over the last 25 years, their universal motive remains the same: profit. He explained how digital platforms, online payment systems, cryptocurrency, and cross-border financial technologies now allow illicit funds to move across jurisdictions within seconds, making financial investigations far more complex. Because “these financial trails no longer stop at our borders,” he stressed that no single nation can uncover them alone, and that international cooperation — through shared intelligence, synchronized operations, and global solidarity — is now the backbone of every major case. He also highlighted the role of PCTC as the Philippines’ National Central Bureau to Interpol, enabling real-time exchanges of criminal intelligence across 196 member countries. Looking ahead, he committed the PCTC to strengthening digital forensics and cyber-investigative capabilities, enhancing real-time intelligence cooperation, and ensuring that asset recovery is pursued as aggressively as prosecution, before reaffirming that following the money is ultimately about protecting communities, safeguarding development, and defending the rule of law.

Building on the earlier agency reports, Executive Secretary and former Chief Justice Lucas P Bersamin emphasized that transnational organized crime continues to evolve by exploiting technology and the vulnerabilities of individuals and institutions. He pointed to human trafficking, cyber fraud schemes, and illegal POGO operations as examples of criminal activity that undermine public safety, economic stability, and community well-being. These crimes, he stressed, are “acts inherently destructive of the rule of law.” He cited ongoing efforts under President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, led by PAOCC, to dismantle scam hubs and illegal POGO facilities—operations that have “rescued helpless victims, dismantled criminal infrastructures, and restored the public trust in our law enforcement institutions.” He also highlighted the work of PCTC as the country’s coordinating body and intelligence fusion center, supporting initiatives such as the Bureau of Immigration’s “At-Shield Kids” campaign against foreign sex offenders, the Blacklisted Aliens and Child Sex Offenders Registry, and the PROTECT Portal to enhance data and coordination in human trafficking cases. He further noted that the Philippines’ removal from the FATF Grey List and the European Union Watch List reflects strengthened safeguards against money laundering and terrorism financing.

Looking ahead, Bersamin underscored that the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 provides an important opportunity to lead regional efforts against transnational organized crime through mechanisms such as the Senior Officials’ Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC). He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to deeper cross-border cooperation through UNTOC, INTERPOL, and ASEAN partnerships, and recognized the “bravery and agility” of Philippine law enforcement personnel who continue to confront criminal syndicates. He urged that “the battle against crime you have waged should be relentless,” reminding participants that the rule of law thrives “where organized crime has no shelter,” and setting the tone for the subsequent discussions on international cooperation and collective action.

Immediately after the Executive Secretary’s message, the first panel discussion brought together senior diplomatic leaders to examine the global dimensions of transnational organized crime. Moderated by UNODC Country Manager Daniele Marchesi, the panel featured HE Davide Giglio, Ambassador of Italy to the Philippines; HE Marielle Geraedts, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Philippines; and HE Bartinah Ntombizodwa Radebe-Netshitenzhe, Ambassador of South Africa to the Philippines.

The ambassadors shared insights from their respective regions, noting how criminal organizations evolve rapidly across borders and how multilateral coordination has become indispensable. The Italian representative highlighted the historical roots of “follow the money” approaches that emerged from Italy’s long-standing fight against mafia networks. The Dutch ambassador discussed ongoing cooperation with Philippine law enforcement to combat online child exploitation, particularly through joint initiatives such as the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center (PICACC). The South African envoy emphasized transparency, financial integrity, and the societal cost of normalizing corruption, adding that communities play a crucial role in resisting criminal influence.

Collectively, the panel reinforced that no single country can confront transnational organized crime alone; shared intelligence, unified norms, and sustained international cooperation remain central to disrupting global syndicates.

The panel discussion was followed by an open forum where participants raised questions on strengthening cross-border investigations, improving information-sharing, and addressing jurisdictional challenges posed by digital platforms. Delegates also sought insights on how international partners can support local law enforcement, particularly in areas involving financial tracing and online exploitation. The ambassadors and UNODC representatives underscored the importance of coordinated legal frameworks, timely intelligence exchanges, and capacity-building initiatives to help countries respond more effectively to transnational organized crime.

Following the panel discussion and open forum, Mr. Matthew Joseph, Former Deputy Senior State Counsel of Singapore and part of the original UNTOC negotiating delegation, outlined four key lessons from the Convention’s history: the need for strong political commitment, the central role of following illicit financial flows, the importance of international cooperation, and the value of prevention and youth resilience. He noted recent progress in the Philippines, including improvements in financial integrity and the country’s participation in a new global cybercrime convention. He also highlighted the strong engagement from students and emphasized UNODC’s continuing support for countries through legal alignment, training, and cross-border investigative cooperation.

After Mr Joseph’s presentation, participants then proceeded to a short networking break and the signing of the Commitment Wall. The break provided an opportunity for delegates, students, and representatives from various sectors to exchange insights and continue discussions sparked during the earlier sessions. At the Commitment Wall, attendees wrote pledges affirming their support for collective efforts to prevent and combat transnational organized crime — a symbolic gesture underscoring the whole-of-society approach emphasized throughout the event.

After the break, the program resumed with the second panel discussion, which focused on youth, education, and whole-of-society approaches to disrupting transnational organized crime. Moderated by UNODC National Officer Elaine Viktoria Dayanghirang, the panel brought together perspectives from government, civil society, and the academe. Dr Winston Casio of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spoke about the need to strengthen preventive frameworks and capacity-building. Former PCIJ Executive Director Carmela Fonbuena highlighted the role of investigative journalism in exposing criminal networks. Law student Audrey Garin emphasized youth leadership and rights-based engagement, while DOJ Prosecutor Ma. Lara Dominique Sanchez discussed the challenges facing frontline prosecutors in handling technology-driven cases. The panel collectively stressed that combating organized crime requires empowered communities, informed youth, and stronger cross-sector collaboration.

In his closing remarks, Consul General Jesus Gary Domingo reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to multilateral cooperation in countering transnational organized crime. He emphasized the importance of strengthening international partnerships, particularly in addressing cyber fraud, trafficking, and crimes affecting Filipino communities overseas. He also acknowledged the contributions of government agencies, civil society, and youth participants, noting that sustained collaboration across sectors is vital to preventing organized crime and protecting vulnerable populations.

The event also featured the awarding of winners of the Youth Voices Across Borders Multimedia Challenge, a nationwide competition designed to encourage young people to reflect on the impact of transnational organized crime. Student-led entries—ranging from digital art and short films to advocacy pieces—highlighted themes of exploitation, financial crime, and community vigilance. The winning submissions came from Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, the University of the East – Caloocan, the De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute, the UP College of Law, and Tupi National High School in South Cotabato.

As the program drew to a close, the message across all sectors was clear: transnational organized crime can only be confronted through shared responsibility, coordinated action, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding communities. With government agencies, international partners, academic institutions, and young leaders standing together, the event underscored that “following the money” is not just a strategy, but a collective promise to uphold justice, strengthen institutions, and protect the most vulnerable.