Duterte: What happened to Corona is happening to me

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday likened his situation amid the ongoing Ombudsman probe against him to what happened to the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was ousted in 2011 for his failure to fully disclose his wealth.

"What happened to Corona is happening to me," Duterte said during the installation of new officers and induction of new members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Davao City Chapter.

Duterte remained firm that allegations that he has unexplained multi-billion pesos in banks are based on lies.

"I do not lose my freedom of expression, so there are lies [are] baseless, hundreds of millions and even if I wanted to steal, saan kukunin yang p----- amount na 'yan. You know politics plays a very important role, yung hindi makatanggap ng kataluhan nila will keep on hammering because they want to pull you down and erode your leadership," he said.

The President also slammed IBP president Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo, who said public officials including Duterte should not onion-skinned.

"Public office is a public trust. Upon assumption of public office, a government official holds his life open to public scrutiny," Fajardo said in a statement.

"I cannot answer because I should not be onion skinned ----- statement is that. Mumurahin mo na why? have you forgotten that there is honor? Eh kung sabihin ko ngayon ang asawa mo yung dalawa hindi mo anak kasi nangaliwa 'yan? Anong gawin mo, that is an attack against honor. And you yes, say do not be onion-skinned, who the f---- are you to tell me in face of fabricated evidence, sinabi ko na before the election wala ako niyan," Duterte said in response to the Fajardo's statement.

Duterte said in his speech that documents supposedly obtained by the Office of the Ombudsman from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) were "fabricated."

"Yet sabi ng AMLC, they have not issued any resolution to release the statement of my bank account. Tapos sabihin mo sa akin na do not be onion-skinned in face of the fabrication and the illegally obtained [document]?, onion-skinned 'yan?," Duterte said.

"How about my right to freedom of expression? G---, ikaw ganunin ko? p--------, maniwala ka ba talaga lahat ng abogado, pati judges you know that wag na tayo magbolahan, pa-ekek ninyo sa publiko. I said I am ready to lose the presidency, my honor, my life, and the presidency," he added.

Duterte had threatened to investigate the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged partiality and corruption and even said he would have its officials arrested if they will not cooperate.

The president made the threat after the Ombudsman announced that it has started its probe into the wealth of Duterte and his family based on Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's allegation that he has several billions of pesos in banks. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/ALG, GMA News