DAVAO CITY—Mayor Sara Duterte once more questioned the truthfulness of the data shown by Senator Antonio Trillanes alleging her undeclared joint account with her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, amounting to P2.2 billion.
On Monday, Mayor Duterte said the issue revolving in the Internet about her alleged undeclared wealth was just the same issue thrown against her and her father during the 2016 presidential election.
“Even before, I already questioned the truthfulness of the data of Senator Trillanes, I challenged him before to produce his source to validate the information; however, until now, he did not disclose his source,” she said.
Meanwhile, Malacañang challenged investigative group VERA Files to prove the authenticity of bank documents under its possession alleging that President Duterte and his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio had “omitted” to fully disclose their joint deposits and investments at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, which conservatively exceeded P100 million.
Saying the bank documents used by VERA files were “rehashed,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque dismissed the report, released Sunday as mere “hearsay.”
“We can’t comment on hearsay. The reality is the law says that bank statements are in fact confidential and you need a report or a request from the Anti-Money Laundering Council to get copies of these statements. When VERA Files asked me for my comment, how could I comment when the documents are not authenticated?” Roque said in a palace briefing.
The Palace mouthpiece stressed “the whole story hinges on bank documents which they could not have had obtained copies of.”
“I challenge them, come up with certification from the banks that the statements are genuine then we will comment. But it’s really improper to comment on tsismis (gossip). And they will remain tsismis until the banks attest to the truth and veracity of these bank statements,” he said.
In its report, the Duterte father-and-daughter tandem failed to declare from P44.25 million to as much as P85.73 million a year from 2006 to 2014, based on documents obtained from the Senate.
Duterte has repeatedly said the documents in Trillanes’ possession are falsified, while Sara insisted the alleged bank records were all rumors.
“So that we could all verify the truthfulness of Trillanes’ accusations, we are all waiting for Trillanes to produce his source and put the witness under oath to testify on his/her/their claims about the bank accounts. Anything less than this, what Trillanes is doing is just rumor mongering while hiding behind his parliamentary immunity,” she said in a statement.
Duterte had several bank transaction in various banks, and held various others, including investments, insurance and dollar deposits.
The penalties for violating the SALN provisions in RA 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, are imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to P5,000 or dismissal from the service.