Duterte admits bank accounts at BPI Julia Vargas

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday admitted that he owned bank accounts at the Bank of the Philippine Islands branch at Julia Vargas Ave., among other banks.

But contrary to allegations by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, the Davao City mayor said the amounts contained in the accounts were only in the thousands and not in the millions.

"Meron ako sa BPI, hindi ganoon kalaki, thousand lang. It could not go beyond even... well yung isa 17 [thousand], isa below 50," he said.

He said this amounted to some P200,000 across different banks, representing his savings from his stint as a Congressman.

Duterte admits he has accounts in different banks amounting only to thounsands not millions. @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/wBJR92ODlg

— Cedric Castillo (@cedric_castillo) April 28, 2016

Trillanes made the allegations this week, making public the numbers of the accounts allegedly owned by Duterte. The senator said that these included some P211 million in cash that was not declared in Duterte's Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

Trillanes on Thursday dared Duterte to sign a specific waiver authorizing the opening of the accounts.

But Duterte said he wants Trillanes to file a formal affidavit first before making his accounts public.

"Hindi ako uto-uto, bakit ako magpapadala sa laro ni Trillanes?" said Duterte.

"Make a statement under oath. Write in there, saan, kailan nakuha ang info and for what purpose. File siya ng kaso, buksan ko 'yan," he added.

Duterte to Trillanes: File formal affidavit first then I will make public my bank accounts. @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/I6pIbftt1u

— Cedric Castillo (@cedric_castillo) April 28, 2016

Duterte to Trillanes: Answer from whom, how, and what purpose you got alleged bank accounts. @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/YtOSJH5tNC

— Cedric Castillo (@cedric_castillo) April 28, 2016

Duterte, who has pulled away in recent presidential preference polls, had initially denied the existence of the accounts bared by Trillanes.

Trillanes' dare

The senator, meanwhile, invited Duterte to show up on Monday at the BPI branch to open the accounts.

"Hindi raw sila pwedeng maggawa ng waiver sa isang non-existent na bank account. Pwede. Maggawa ka ng waiver, ang sasabihin sa inyo nung BPI, iinform ka na this account number does not exist. 'Pag yun ang binigay, ano na rin ako, magre-resign na rin ako," Trillanes said.

He also dared Duterte to go ahead and file a libel case against him.

"Natanggal yung yabang niya eh. Natanggal yung tapang niya eh. Suddenly, nagtatago siya sa legalities kagaya nung ginagawa ni Vice President (Jejomar) Binay. Ngayon, mga alipores na yung humaharap," he said.

"Please file a libel case against me. Kasi base sa AMLA - sa Anti-Money Laundering Law - pagka ang naging subject ng litigation ay ang bank acccounts, mao-open yun," Trillanes added. —Cedric Castillo and Rie Takumi/JST, GMA News