PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night accused one of his vocal critics, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, of extorting huge amounts of money from big business people.
The President, in a speech before the Filipino community in Bangkok where he was on official visit, mocked Trillanes who led the impeachment complaint against him, saying he simply robbed a hotel during the Manila Peninsula takeover in 2007.
Trillanes’ fellow Magdalo party-list member Rep. Gary Alejano filed the impeachment complaint against Duterte after Congress went on recess last week.
The complaint alleges the President has hidden wealth and was behind the Davao Death Squad responsible for killing hundreds of suspected criminals and his political enemies when he was mayor of Davao City.
The day after, Trillanes challenged Duterte to file charges against him if indeed he had been collecting money from big businessmen.
In a statement issued to the media, Trillanes considered “a lie coming from a pathological liar” Duterte’s allegations hurled against him.
“If that is true, come out with the details and charge me. I will face it,” said Trillanes.
Trillanes stressed all his accusations against the President were backed up by specific details, documents, and even witnesses.
He said he also filed charges in court against Duterte so he could present evidence in a proper forum.
“But he is hiding until now. So stop fooling us. Open your bank accounts,” Trillanes said.
Towards the end of the campaign period, Trillanes accused Duterte of having more than P2.2 billion in bank deposits before he became president.
Trillanes has presented purported bank records of Duterte’s account in the Bank of the Philippine Islands.
However, the bank denied that the senator’s documents were from them.
The senator also presented Edgar Matobato and Arturo Lascañas, who both claimed to be members of the Davao Death Squad, which they said was created by Duterte to go after suspected criminals, political opponents and personal enemies.