Duterte: The banking system is the victim in Trillanes expose

Presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday evening that the real victim of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV's expose on Duterte's accounts was the banking system.

“The victim is BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), galit ang bangko. Sabi ko huwag kayo magalit sa akin, that's why they issued a very strong statement,” Duterte said during a live interview on the Sonshine Media Network International television channel.

The Davao strongman suspected that the information on his bank accounts came from the Bangko Sental ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

However, both the BSP and AMLC earlier issued statements denying the accusation. 

Trillanes himself revealed that the source of his information was as a certain Joseph Morales, allegedly a former Duterte supporter.

“If i win, [I will tell BSP, AMLC] explain to me in public. Bakit lumabas ang account ko. I will call them or puntahan ko sa opisina nila. I will bring the TV and ask them, why is this?” said Duterte.

“Ang totoo dyan yung kay [Mar] Roxas na dineposithan niya and the [the bank account with] P17,000, the others are not. The loser is the trust of the people in the banking industry,” he added.

Duterte also denied being involved in graft and corrupt practices.

He said that when he worked as a Tanod-bayan prosecutor, he went after a treasurer and four mayors. “Tapos ako magnanakaw? Drug money? Susmaryosep. I am 71 years old, I would have bought a plane for myself,” he added.

Duterte dismissed the accusations against him as merely a smear campaign carried out a few days before the elections.

“Umabot ang property ko sa Dipolog, Dumaguete, marami kaming Duterte. He (Trillanes) pretends to be a very righteous man, a crusader. He wants respect after he lost it," he added.

Support

Duterte admitted that he has been receiving support from Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, head of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ religious organization.

“Kung mawala ang tulong ni pastor, patay,” he said.

“When he (Quiboloy) was abroad, I take PAL. I have to travel so many hours, I do not feel comfortable to sleep in hotels,” he added.

“Pastor offered P1 billion in public. Ang Kingdom is not a political organization. He is also mad at what is happening," said Duterte, who added that he declined the offer.

If elected president, Duterte said he would be going home to Davao City every day on Quiboloy's dime. “Kung manalo ako, dito ako sa Davao matutulog araw-araw. Sa operational cost, si Pastor [and bahala],” Duterte said.

Quiboloy meanwhile revealed that he had given Duterte a house in Davao City's Woodridge Park when the latter was still working as a prosecutor.

The pastor went on to ask Trillanes, “How much money did you make making these attacks and from whom?”

The pastor also called Trillanes a “political prostitute” and that the senator had no credibility.

GMA News Online was unable to reach Trillanes for comment as of posting time. — Bernadette Parco/DVM, GMA News