SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday repeated his claim that President Rodrigo Duterte had P2 billion in his bank accounts, but Senator Alan Peter Cayetano rejected his claim.
“He has more than P2 billion in his bank accounts and when he shows his transaction history and I’m proven wrong, I will resign from the Senate,” Trillanes told reporters.
He said his challenge was important because the corruption scandals in the government were emerging.
Trillanes made his statement even as the Palace on Thursday said Duterte may come out soon with the bank documents following Trillanes’ claims.
“Not in response to grandstanding,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters.
“If necessary and within the right context, due process but not to respond to grandstanding.”
Trillanes said that, aside from releasing former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who had become the symbol of corruption in the past administration, the current government was now finding a way to release Janet Napoles, the alleged brains of the P10-billion porkbarrel scam.
“This is important for the sake of President Duterte’s die-hard supporters who strongly believe he is upright and not corrupt,” Trillanes said.
But he doubted Duterte would accept his challenge as that would only expose him as a corrupt official.
“He’s saying he talks straight and bold regarding the issues. Show your courage here. Show me I’m wrong and I’m not just accusing,” Trillanes said.
“You know the die-hard supporters really believe him. For their sake, show them you’re an upright government official.”
Duterte’s defeated vice presidential running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, called Trillanes a “Kuryente King” and said he was only posturing to push his political ambitions.
He chided Trillanes for his false accusations that he said were a desperate attempt to stop the reforms that happening under the Duterte administration.
He asked why Trillanes had suddenly revived an issue that had long been settled.
He said there was nothing new with his tirades, adding Trillanes was known for his constant attacks and baseless charges against the administration.
He then challenged Trillanes to explain where he got the funds that he used for his anti-Duterte commercials that were aired in the major television networks during last year’s campaign.
Trillanes said it had been months since Duterte’s camp postponed the release of the records of his bank transactions, but he was still waiting to be proven wrong.
“I am reiterating my challenge to President Duterte to release the transaction history of his bank accounts and if my allegations are proven wrong, I will immediately resign as a senator,” said Trillanes who provided reporters alleged copies of the Duterte family’s bank transactions from 2003 to 2016.