Duterte to Deputy Ombudsman Carandang: Magdasal ka lang

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night had some sharp words for Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang, who is leading the investigation into the first family's alleged multi-billion-peso bank accounts.

In his speech in Davao City, Duterte said the documents that Carandang has, supposedly obtained from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), are fabricated.

"Imagine this Carandang, magdasal ka lang Carandang. I'm not threatening you. 'Pag ka nagka-leche leche ang Pilipinas uunahin kita," Duterte said during the installation of new officers and induction of new members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Davao City Chapter.

"Sabi ng [AMLC] bakit may nagkuha doon sa loob? Binigay kay Trillanes, binigay kay Carandang. P----- ka Carandang ka, you are holding a fabricated [document], it's up to your sorrow, you will rely to. Kung may kaibigan ka sa loob, pumunta ka na sa Bangko Sentral, tingnan mo na para safety ka," he added.

'I can summon him'

Duterte said that he can "summon" Carandang, accusing the deputy ombudsman of having committed a crime.

"For certainly itong si Carandang, I can summon him. Because he committed a crime, not an administrative. I'm not trying him because I am not the judge but he has to answer for this or else I will go there and bring him to the NBI," he said.

"You must obey the law also not only me. Ako hindi niyo ko pinatawag, you invented, itong mga yellow, halos mamatay na lang, gusto nang bumawi," he added.

Duterte said that his "lifetime savings" would not go beyond P40 million, adding that the flow of money from his bank account started when he was still the mayor of Davao City.

"Ma-swerte ka na kung may P40 million. Sabi ko, kayong taga-Davao talaga bang ganon na kami kahirap? Sabi ko nga eh, trace it from [the] IBAA, Insular Bank of Asia and America, kasi it was about that time that we had because nagkakaso, nag-away-away kaming magkapatid, we had an extrajudicial settlement," he said.

"Tingnan mo yung first million doon, ito sabihin ko sa inyo, kasi may mga asawa akong negosyante, lahat ng sweldo ko 'pag ka, LandBank people, give it to them. Lahat ng sweldo ko pagka-mayor until now dumideretso diyan sa specific account na 'yan. Kaya sabi ko hindi mag-abot ng P40 million," he added.

He also dared the Office of the Ombudsman to "go ahead and look at the records."

Last week, Duterte threatened to investigate the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged partiality and corruption after the body announced it has started a probe into the first family's alleged multi-billion peso bank accounts, based on the complaint filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Carandang had said that he was authorized by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales to act on Trillanes's complaint and that he already requested AMLC for a final validation of the bank transaction records of the first family.

He said initial bank records from the AMLC showed the flow of money through deposits and withdrawals from Duterte's sons, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and Sebastian Duterte, and his joint accounts with his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

He added that the accounts of Duterte's common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña, and their daughter, Veronica, were also included in the records.

The AMLC had confirmed receiving the request from Carandang, but denied providing him with the documents.

"We have categorically stated before that the Anti-Money Laundering Council is not the source of the documents and information attached by Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV in his complaint regarding the alleged bank accounts of President Rodrigo Duterte," the AMLC said in a statement.

"It has neither provided the Office of the Ombudsman with any report as a consequence of any investigation of subject accounts for any purpose," it added.

The AMLC also said that the bank accounts in question had "wrong and misleading" amounts. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/ALG/BM, GMA News