Trillanes submits bank secrecy waivers to AMLC, Ombudsman

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) waivers on the secrecy of bank deposits, covering his alleged offshore accounts.

Trillanes submitted 12 separate waivers for each of the account he is accused of owning.

In the waiver, Trillanes stated the he submitted such document to “debunk the false allegations being circulated” that he owns “secret bank accounts with various offshore banks.”

“I am hereby voluntarily executing this waiver and I am authorizing the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to open and look into the supposed bank accounts (including closed accounts if any) allegedly under my name,” Trillanes said.

The documents waives his rights to the secrecy and confidentiality on bank accounts under Republic Act (RA) No. 1405 or the Law on Secrecy of Bank Deposits and RA 6426 or the Foreign Currency Deposit Act.

Bogus banks

Trillanes said based on “basic” research, he found out that at least two banks — Hong Kong Shanghai Bank and Nova Scotia Bank — appeared to be "bogus."

“Hindi lang non-existent accounts, but non-existent banks. Ganoon ka-glaring ang fabrication na ito,” the senator said.

“Dito makikita na si Duterte ay napaka-sinungaling na tao at ginamit yung kapangyarihan ng gobyerno para masira yung mga miyembro ng oposisyon,” Trillanes added.

According to Trillanes, Duterte merely sourced his allegation from the social media posts of Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, journalist Erwin Tulfo, and Ben Tesiorna, who owns the Davao Breaking News Facebook page.

Trillanes said he plans to file libel charges against the Uson, Tulfo, and Tesiorna for sharing "fake news."

Challenge to Duterte

Trillanes then challenged President Rodrigo Duterte anew to sign a bank secrecy waiver if he is not hiding anything. The senator earlier alleged that Duterte has P2 billion in hidden bank accounts.

“Ako naman ibabalik ko kay Duterte yung hamon, pumirma ako ng waiver, nagparating ako sayo, isang taon mahigit na, iniiba mo usapan,” Trillanes said.

“Hindi pwede boka-boka diyan. Kailangan mo pumirma ng waiver... kung talagang hindi kurakot,” he added.

But Trillanes said he does not expect Duterte to sign a waiver, just as his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law, lawyer Manases Carpio, who are both being linked to big-time smuggling activities, also refused to sign the same.

"Dinala mo away sa teritoryo ko. Hindi ka pwede tumindig sa 'kin dito...Magpaka-lalaki ka. Hindi ka mapo-proteksyonan ng baril mo sa tagiliran," Trillanes told Duterte.

Duterte earlier alleged that Trillanes has offshore bank accounts in Hong Kong, Australia, America, and Malaysia.

"He's bent on destroying me, so I destroy him or he will destroy me. Ganun lang 'yan,” Duterte said of Trillanes. —KBK, GMA News