Move to probe Duterte’s ‘unexplained wealth’ triggers Koko-Trillanes tiff

Senator President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV engaged in a verbal tussle on Monday over the latter’s move to have the President investigated by the Senate over alleged unexplained wealth.

“Ewan ko kung nanginginig ang boses ko ngayon pwede akong ninerbiyos ako pero hindi yata,” Pimentel said of Trillanes in an interview with Senate reporters.

“Anyway, tama naman yung reaction n’ya because he’s also obsessed with the issue. Malay mo ’pag hindi pag usapan yung issue manginig din yung kamay nya,” he added.

In a statement earlier, Trillanes mocked the Senate leader for saying that the chamber was not the proper body to look into the allegations against the President and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

It was Trillanes who filed a resolution asking the Senate committee on banks chaired by Senator Francis Escudero to conduct the probe.

But if Trillanes has evidence then Pimentel said the former should bring an “actual case” to the proper body.

“(The) Senate is not the body for that. We are part of legislative action,” the Senate chief said. “But if this is part of just making this issue land in the news then this should not be allowed. It will be a tragic waste of time by the Senate.”

Trillanes argued that his resolution was “valid” and should be referred to the committee.

“Senator Pimentel, even as Senate President, has no power to disallow its referral. Masyado namang syang ninenerbiyos agad para sa amo nya,” he said.

“Besides, it was Duterte himself who challenged the Senate to investigate his bank account. So, ito na ang sagot sa hamon ng amo n’ya,” said Trillanes.

READ: Trillanes slams Pimentel

In the interview later in the afternoon, Pimentel assured that Trillanes’ resolution would be referred to the proper committee.

“Dito sa Senate walang censorship dito. We follow procedures,” he said.

While maintaining that it would just be a waste of time, the Senate leader said it would be up to the chairman of the committee to weigh the repercussions of conducting the probe./ac