Trillanes revives allegations on Duterte’s bank accounts: Prove you’re not corrupt

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday dared President Rodrigo Duterte to prove he is not a corrupt government official, as he renewed his challenge for the chief executive to disprove that he has more than P2 billion in his bank accounts. 

Trillanes, a vocal critic of the President, made the same accusation during the presidential campaign. 

“Ako ay naghamon noon na i-prove niya na ako ay mali...It’s been nine months since, wala pa rin. Inuulit ko ang aking hamon na patunayan niya na mali ako, na meron siyang higit na P2 bilyon sa kanyang bank accounts,” Trillanes said. 

“Pagka nailabas 'yung transaction history niya at ako ay mali, ako ay magre-resign sa Senado,” the senator added. 

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, in an interview on News to Go on Thursday, said it is up to Trillanes to prove his allegation.

"Let him prove that... The burden of proof goes back to him," Abella said.

'Betrayal'

Trillanes said Duterte betrayed his “die-hard supporters” in making them believe that his administration will wage a war against corruption. 

“Walang ginawa sa corruption at worse pinakawalan pa 'yung simbolo ng corruption, si President Arroyo. Tapos ngayon si Napoles gusto pa pakawalan,” he said. 

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now Pampanga congresswoman, was ordered released from hospital arrest in July last year, after being detained in a Quezon City hospital since 2011 over plunder. 

On Wednesday, it was reported that the Office of the Solicitor General filed before the Court of Appeals (CA) a "manifestation in lieu of rejoinder" recommending the acquittal of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles for the crime of serious illegal detention of her second cousin, whistleblower Benhur Luy.

“Deretso siya magsalita sa mga issue. Ilabas mo, ilabas mo ang tapang mo dito. Pakita mo na mali ako na hindi lang ako nag-a-akusa. Alang-alang sa mga die-hard supporters mo, pakita mo na malinis kang opisyal ng gobyerno,” Trillanes said. 

“They need to explain. Kasi ang postura nila, simple silang tao. Maraming naloloko kaya mahirap lunukin eh. Asang-asa na pinanganak daw siyang mahirap. It’s time to unmask this guy,” the senator added. 

A matrix of supposed bank transactions provided to the media by Trillanes show alleged accounts named under Duterte; Duterte’s children Paolo (P104 million), Sara (P121 million), and Sebastian (P143 milllion); Duterte’s common-law wife Cielito “Honeylet” Salvador Avanceña (P188 million); and Samuel Cang Uy (P118 million), one of Duterte’s campaign donors. 

Samuel C. Uy was listed as one of the contributors to the presidential campaign, putting in P30 million in cash, GMA News Research data showed.

According to Trillanes, the amount of P2 billion were accumulated from 2006 to 2015, when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City. 

Duterte’s accounts total to P2.2 billion, documents provided by Trillanes show. 

In April 2016, Trillanes said Duterte had P211 million in a joint account with his daughter Sara at the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

Duterte said indeed the account was his when he was still a congressman representing Davao City.

Trillanes said then that the P211 million is just the tip of the iceberg with regard to Duterte's alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Cayetano: Trillanes is 'Kuryente King'

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, a close ally of Duterte, called Trillanes “Kuryente King.” 

“We know from the start na parating Kuryente King si Trillnaes pagdating kay President Duterte,” Cayetano told reporters in an interview on Thursday. 

“This is another desperate attempt of Trillanes to stop the reforms that are happening now because marami siguro sa padrino niya or nasa likod niya ay tinatamaan sa reforms,” Cayetano said, adding that the burden of proof is on Trillanes. —KG, GMA News