BSP, AMLC deny being source of Trillanes' alleged info on Duterte accounts

The central bank and the country's main gatekeeper against money laundering on Monday denied allegations that they were the source of the documents now being cited by vice presidential candidate Senator Antonio Trillanes IV against presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

"We would like to categorically state that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) are not the source of the documents and information being cited by a vice-presidential candidate regarding the alleged bank accounts of a certain presidential candidate," BSP Officer-In-Charge Vicente S. Aquino said in an emailed statement.

The camp of Duterte on Sunday, May 1, questioned the BSP and the AMLC, which both have access to the said documents being presented by Trillanes, who earlier said that Duterte has had bank transactions amounting to P2.4 billion. 

"Nakikita nila ang record so I am questioning the central bank pati ang AMLC. Bakit nasisilip ng mga militar, bakit nasisilip ng malalaking tae [sic] dito sa gobyerno? Kaming mga maliliit wala kaming access," he told a crowd in Manila.

Both the BSP and the AMLC also said that they are not engaged in partisan politics.

"We assure the Filipino people that the BSP and the AMLC are not engaged in partisan politics and will never allow themselves to be used as a tool for political persecution or harassment, or as an instrument to hamper competition in trade and commerce," Vicente said.

Trillanes affidavit

Trillanes on Monday presented an affidavit stating he got his information from a certain Joseph Morales, allegedly a former Duterte supporter.

However, Duterte's lawyer Salvador Panelo cast aspersions on Trillanes' claim.

"Tinanong ko si Trillanes 'Totoo bang tao si Joseph de Mesa?' Pero hindi niya masabi kung totoo 'yon," Panelo told reporters. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/JST, GMA News