Duterte orders lawyer to open records of BPI-Julia Vargas account

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he would allow the opening of the records of his Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) account on Julia Vargas Avenue on Monday.

READ: Duterte admits existence of BPI accounts

Speaking to reporters in Pasay City, Duterte said he had authorized his lawyer, Salvador Panelo, to open his bank records after Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV dared him to meet at the Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City branch of BPI to sign a waiver allowing the opening of his bank account which allegedly contains P227 million.

READ: TIMELINE: Duterte BPI accounts exposé

Duterte, however, said he only has “a little less than 200 million” in the bank.

“At least I can tell you na hindi talaga P200 million. Bahala na sila ni Sal Panelo mag-argue diyan (At least I can tell you that it does not contain P200 million. I’ll let him and Sal Panelo argue about it.),” he said.

“I can explain very well, legit explanation but hindi naman ganun kalaki (it’s not that big),” he said, debunking the claim of Trillanes that he has over P200 million stashed in his BPI account on Julia Vargas.

Pressed for details about the deposits in his BPI account, Duterte said he was advised by Panelo not to talk much about the said account.

“Ganito na lang, sabi ni Panelo (Panelo said that) I should not be talking because I’d be mauled into deep (expletive),” he said.

The tough-talking mayor said he won’t be able to make it to the BPI Julia Vargas Branch since he will be in Davao City on Monday.

The mayor, however, expects Trillanes to be present there on Monday.

“Pumunta siya doon, kailangan dala-dala niya ‘yung affidavit (When he goes there, he should have an affidavit with him),” he said.

“I just want it proper. That’s the procedure. You execute an affidavit, you accuse a person then the person, if he so desires, ipakita (may show it). Definitely it’s less than (P200 million),” he added.

He said he has supporting papers to disprove Trillanes’ claims.

“Be there on Monday, para at least malaman na to exactly kung how much, para malaman rin nilang may pera ako. Meron naman akong supporting papers,” he said.

(Be there on Monday so that at least people will know exactly how much it contains, and that I have money. I have the supporting papers.) IDL