Piñol defends Uy after drug lord tag during VP Duterte impeach hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol on Thursday defended Samuel Uy, whom he said was “unjustly vilified and destroyed” during the House panel proceedings on the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

On Wednesday, former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV accused the Dutertes of receiving payouts from Uy, whom Trillanes alleged to be a drug lord.

READ: ‘Vindicated’ Trillanes tells House: Duterte, kin got drug lord money

“I was shocked to hear the name of an old friend unjustly vilified and destroyed before the whole nation simply because of his friendship with former President Rodrigo Duterte,” Piñol said in a Facebook post. “Now, I have to go public to defend this man whom I consider a dear friend.

“Accusing Sammy of involvement in drugs just to destroy the Duterte family is simply stretching the political black propaganda beyond what is believable,” Piñol also said.

Trillanes said that the vice president, her father, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, her brothers, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, her father’s common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and their daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, received P181.6 million in checks from Uy from 2011 to 2013.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura said that 18 of the financial transactions in the former senator’s affidavit, including three allegedly involving Uy, matched records in the AMLC’s report.

READ: Trillanes ‘relieved’ after AMLC report, but laments Dutertes’ damage

“Now, I have to make it clear that I could not make any comment on the alleged financial transactions between Sammy and the Dutertes because I have no knowledge if it really ever happened,” Piñol said. “I will just focus on Sammy Uy, a friend I have known for so many years.”

Piñol said Uy belongs to an old Filipino-Chinese family that owns Dimdi, one of the oldest appliance stores in Davao City, as well as Davao Farms, which is involved in poultry and hogs.

According to Piñol, Sammy was like a “brother” to the former president, but “he did not abuse or take advantage of their friendship when the latter became president.”

“I would assume Sammy benefited from business dealings because of his closeness to the president, but the alleged involvement in drugs is unbelievable,” Piñol continued. /jpv /atm