Miriam on hidden wealth claim vs Duterte: Trillanes acting as LP ally

Presidential candidate Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago gestures during the Meet the Inquirer Multimedia at the paper’s office in Makati City, May 3, 2016. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

GAPAN CITY — It is likely that Malacañang had a hand in Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s allegations on Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s undeclared multiple bank accounts, with one supposedly containing P227 million in deposits in 2014, Sen. Miriam Defensor- Santiago said on Wednesday.

“Apparently, Trillanes has the support of Malacañang because he has access in the Anti-Money Laundering Council records against Duterte. So it appears that the charges are documented and not only superficial; there will be no need to investigate. The sooner Mayor Duterte is candid about these accounts, the better for him,” she told reporters here when asked if Malacañang was behind the allegations.

READ: Duterte camp blames Palace for hidden wealth allegations

The lady senator said that Trillanes, who is running for vice president, is “acting as an ally of the [Liberal Party] administration.”

“The LP does not want Duterte to be president for many reasons. One of the reasons is if he becomes president, he might place [President Benigno] Aquino in jail for charges based on impeachment charges,” she said.

Santiago, a good friend of the mayor, questioned the bank records of Duterte.

READ: Miriam on Digong: Why many bank accounts?

Trillanes also accused that the 17 joint accounts of Duterte and daughter Sara at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City, BPI Edsa Greenhills, and Banco de Oro Unibank in Mandaluyong City had P2.4 billion in transactions from 2006 to 2015.

“It’s very difficult for Mayor Duterte to remain in his present situation unless he comes up with a reasonable explanation of these anomalies,” Santiago said. JE

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