Duterte says Trillanes closed Singapore bank accounts through online

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday revealed fresh allegation against Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV regarding the latter’s alleged bank accounts in Singapore.

Duterte said Trillanes was able to close his bank accounts in Singapore before the senator signed a waiver and flew to that country.

Trillanes went to Singapore on September 19 and said he had proven that he had no bank accounts after visiting the city, thus debunking the claims of the President.

In Singapore, the senator  visited the DBS Bank Alexandra branch and the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Raffles branch and inquired whether there were accounts under his name.

“No such bank accounts exist,” Trillanes quoted the bank teller as telling him when he showed his passport and his two bank accounts that allegedly contained millions.

But Duterte claimed that Trillanes was able to close his bank accounts way ahead of his Singapore trip.

“He terminated it online on September 8, 2017 past 10 p.m. then left for Singapore,” he said in an interview with state-run PTV4 aired on Friday night.

In reaction, Trillanes dismissed the allegation as a ploy to divert attention “from [Duterte’s] billion peso bank accounts that were confirmed by the Ombudsman.”

“Nonetheless, first thing on Monday, I would sign waivers for these accounts so that the AMLC can look into and examine them. Wala ng drama kasi wala akong tinatago. What about you, Mr. Duterte kelan ka magpapakalalaki at pipirma ng waivers?” Trillanes said.