Duterte admits BPI accounts but denies they contain millions

Davao City Mayor and Presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Presidential hopeful Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday admitted that he has several bank accounts, among them  with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City which contain P17,000 and below P50,000.

Duterte denied, however, that he has millions of pesos in his accounts and challenged Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to execute an affidavit detailing how, when, where and for what purpose he obtained the bank information.

“I have many deposits in many banks. But I will ask him to make a statement under oath where and when he got it, for what purpose and how. File a case and I will open the accounts,” Duterte said.

Duterte dodged the question if he is confirming the existence of the bank account with the BPI branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City.

“Meron ako sa BPI, hindi ganun kalaki,” Duterte said, noting one has about P17,000, and the other below P50,000.  He said the accusation that he has P211 million in his bank account was impossible.

“Malaki ‘yan noon, nagastos ko lang (It used to be big, but I spent the money already),” said the mayor, whom Trillanes, a vice presidential candidate, claimed did not declare P211 million in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

READ: Trillanes: Duterte didn’t declare P211M in SALN | Duterte mulls raps vs Trillanes over allegations on SALN

Duterte insinuated that  Trillanes obtained the bank information illegally.

“He made the accusation. He should do it properly. I am ready to open the bank accounts,” the tough-taking mayor said when asked about the challenge of Trillanes to meet him on Julia Vargas Avenue at 11 p.m. on May 2.

The mayor and his running-mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, last month signed a waiver allowing the public to scrutinize their bank accounts and even challenged their rivals to do so.

The waiver, however, was said to be not valid and could not apply on his account with BPI.

Duterte said that his BPI accounts were put up when he was a congressman. “Account ko pa ‘yan nu’ng congressman ako (That account already existed when I was still a congressman),” Duterte said.

Asked if he declared the BPI accounts in his SALN, Duterte replied: “Yes. It was listed under the ‘other accounts’.” He denied he has a joint account with his daughter Inday Sara.

In his speech before local officials of Bataan led by their governor, Albert Garcia, Duterte said the attacks against him have been stepped up.

“It (the election) is going to (get) dirtier and dirtier. There are a lot of exchanges of accusations,” Duterte said.

“Ipapatay ko ‘yan, ipapatay ko ‘yan. I don’t kill political enemies I only kill criminals,” Duterte said. IDL/rga

RELATED VIDEOS