Roxas accepts Duterte dare to waive secrecy on bank accounts

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte and Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

The camp of administration presidential bet Mar Roxas said he is accepting the challenge of rival Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to sign a waiver opening all his bank accounts for public scrutiny.

“From the start, Secretary Mar was willing to be completely transparent about his finances. He’s willing to accept that challenge,” coalition spokesperson and Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez said in an interview Monday.

“We believe in transparency and this is no mere promise. (Roxas) agrees with the proposal to have a waiver for bank secrecy,” he said.

This was after Duterte and running mate Alan Peter Cayetano signed the bank secrecy waiver to open themselves to financial scrutiny by the public.

Duterte and Cayetano’s move was “in the light of graft and corruption charges faced by Vice President Jejomar Binay and members of his family.” Binay, his wife and son, former mayors of Makati City, are facing a string of corruption charges.

READ: Duterte to rivals: Waive secrecy on bank accounts

However, the spokesperson clarified that Roxas is not merely heeding Duterte’s challenge. He said the former interior secretary had thought of proposing of having a bank secrecy waiver even before the tough-talking mayor did.

“Hindi lang sa kinagat nya dahil hinamon ni Mayor Duterte pero matagal niya nang pinag iisipan yan as a measure,” he explained.

(He will do it not just to accept the challenge of Mayor Duterte, but because he has long been thinking of it as a measure.)

Gutierrez said the measure has been around since after the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“All SALNs (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) now have a waiver that states the Ombudsman may look into their bank accounts,” he said.

Gutierrez also urged other candidates to take on the challenge of opening their bank accounts, especially those who are facing corruption cases, an apparent jab at Binay.

READ: Roxas to Binay: Why should we trust you?

He said Roxas is “willing to explore initiatives,” if elected president in the upcoming elections in May, of requiring government officials to sign the waiver to ensure transparency.

“Pwede nating simulan ngayon sa lahat ng tumatakbo, bukas siya dun sa ganoong klase ng usapan,” Gutierrez said. RAM