Duterte on reports of his wealth: Investigative reporters are venal

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday lambasted anew recent reports into his family's wealth, this time lashing out at investigative journalists who he said are taking bribes.

"Dito sa Pilipinas, wala talaga 'yang investigative journalism. Huwag kayo maniwala diyan sa PCIJ (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism). Pera-pera lang 'yan ...itong Rappler, itong mga warik-warik," Duterte said.

"Huwag mong sabihin sa pagiging writer lang o sa suweldo lang nila bilang writer. Hindi 'yan sasapat. Tumatanggap din 'yan ng kliyente para umatake. ACDC (attack and collect; defend and collect).

"Bayaran ka, atake. Huwag kayong maniwala na malilinis ang mga p*****-i**** ‘to," he added.

Duterte defended on Saturday his family's businesses at a campaign rally in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, saying that having a source of livelihood such as his law office would be a "sanctuary" should he ever lose an election.

He also reiterated their earnings outside their tenure as public servants were "none of their [critics'] business."

"Kada taon dati may eleksyon, noong mga nakaraang taon. Naniniwala kasi ako na baka matalo ako. Kung matatalo ako, mayroon akong sanctuary. Mayroon akong puwedeng hanapbuhay, ang aking law office," said the President, who is a former Davao City mayor.

"Kay Inday [Sara] ganoon din. Law office lang ang kanyang negosyo. Ang sasabihin lang din ni Inday ay 'wala kayong pakialam.' Hindi pa nila naitatanong. Four years ago namatay ang ina ko. Hindi pa nila alam magkano ang iniwan ng aming ina," he said.

Duterte also shared that his family had several other businesses.

"Ang mama ko, may ice plant kami noon, may sawmill kami, may logging kami. Ganoon 'yun. Akala naman ng mga taga-Manila, itong Rappler, ganito ako kahirap," he said.

Recently, the PCIJ published a report showing "big spikes" in his wealth as indicated in the SALNs of the President, his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and his son former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte while they were in public office.

Also, the PCIJ zoomed into Sara’s SALN declarations and said the mayor and her husband Attorney Mans Carpio never registered their law firm with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mayor Sara had said that she saw no need to comment on the allegations as most of them were "baseless."

As of this posting, GMA News Online was trying to reach Rappler and the PCIJ for comment. —Margaret Claire Layug/LBG, GMA News