Sara Duterte welcomes Ombudsman probe on family’s wealth

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Thursday welcomed the Office of the Ombudsman's investigation on her family's wealth.

"I welcome it," she said in a text message to GMA News Online. "We can finally answer all accusations in the proper venue."

The daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte gave the statement after Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang said they have found sufficient basis in the complaint filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for them to begin investigation.

The Ombudsman also  requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council for a final validation on the bank transaction records of the Duterte family.

Carandang said initial bank records show the flow of money through deposits and withdrawals from Duterte's sons, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Sebastian "Baste" Duterte and his joint accounts with Sara.

Duterte on Tuesday night reiterated that he received at least P1 million in inheritance after his father, Governor Vicente Duterte, died. He also encouraged probers to scrutinize his bank accounts.

A staunch critic of the Duterte, Trillanes said he feels "vindicated" following the Ombudsman's decision  to act on his complaint and pursue an investigation on the President's alleged billion-peso bank accounts. —KBK, GMA News