Duterte, daughter belittle senator’s allegation of bank accounts

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to release records of his bank accounts if necessary, but not in response to the “grandstanding” of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Malacañang said on Thursday as it belittled the lawmaker’s latest allegations that the chief executive had more than P2 billion in bank transactions.

Mr. Duterte would release the documents showing his bank transaction history “if necessary, if within the right context, due process,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a news briefing.

“But not just to respond to some grandstander,” Abella said.

In Davao City, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she was willing to give Trillanes the alleged P121 million deposited to her name if he could locate it.

Give money to Trillanes

“If Trillanes can show where my alleged P121 million is right now and how it became illegal, let’s withdraw it and give it all to him,” the mayor said in a statement.

Sara, who replaced her father as mayor of the city, said that she had read the press statement of Trillanes and that the challenge to answer the allegations was addressed to the President.

“Let us allow PRD (President Rodrigo Duterte) decide on how he wants this issue to go down,” she said.

Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said it was up to Bank of Philippine Islands to release details of Mr. Duterte’s bank transactions.

The waiver that Mr. Duterte signed before the May 2016 elections, authorizing the bank to release details of his account, remained valid, said Panelo.

“The ball is in the bank’s court,” he told reporters.

Asked if Mr. Duterte’s camp was willing to release the detailed bank transaction history itself, Panelo insisted that it was for the bank to make public.

Invalid

A lawyer earlier said the waiver that Mr. Duterte had signed was invalid because it was just a pledge to open bank accounts. For it to be effective, the waiver has to be specific and directed to a particular bank or person.

Abella also belittled Trillanes’ latest allegations that the President had P2 billion in bank transactions and should prove that he was not a corrupt government official.

“Basically, this is old ground. It’s a rehash of items that have already been discussed three days before election,” he said.

If Trillanes has evidence against the President, he should just go to the proper authorities, Abella said.

“It’s best to just do it according to due process,” he added.  —WITH A REPORT FROM NICO ALCONABA