SENATE President Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday said the investigation sought by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged ill-gotten wealth would just be a “tragic waste of time” while Senator Francis Escudero said it might just run into the wall of the Bank Secrecy Law.
In a text message, Pimentel said Trillanes seemed to be targeting members of the Duterte family.
“Before, he tried it against Pulong Duterte and Mans Carpio. Now, it’s the same thing against other members of the Duterte family. If he really has the evidence, then he should bring an actual case in the proper body,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel was referring to the time when Trillanes accused former Davao City vice mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and lawyer Mans Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, of being involved in the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu through the Bureau of Customs in May 2017.
Pimentel said the Senate is not the proper body to investigate the allegations of ill-gotten wealth against Duterte and his family.
Reacting to Pimentel’s statement, Trillanes said he filed a valid resolution and it should be referred to the Commiittee on Banks as stated.
“This would just be part of the oversight functions of the Senate. Senator Pimentel, even as Senate President, has no power to disallow its referral. He is immediately so nervous for his boss,” said the opposition senator.
“Besides, it was Duterte himself who challenged the Senate to investigate his bank account. So, this is the answer to the challenge of his boss,” Trillanes added.
Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on banks, said it was up to the committee on rules to decide if Trillanes’ request would be referred to his panel.
“If it is referred to me, it’s my policy to hear all resolutions and bills referred to any of my committees,” Escudero said.
“However, as to how far we can go would depend on the cooperation of the depositors concerned. Without it, we will always be hitting a wall because of the Bank Secrecy Law similar to what we have been encountering in the case of Andy Bautista,” he added, referring to the resigned chairman of the Commission on Elections, who also faced allegations of ill-gotten wealth.
Earlier, Trillanes filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the possible violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act by Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
A strong critic of the President, Trillanes said the investigation intends to “promote efficient compliance with the Amla” and “further improve the said law.”
Mayor Duterte on Monday hit Trillanes for spreading lies.
“He has the penchant for parading his star witnesses in the Senate and yet he cannot even produce Joseph de Mesa, who, according to his affidavit, was his source of information,” she said.
“The senator cannot file a case because there is no basis for it. I have said this before and I am saying it again—Trillanes is lying,” she added.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the opposition lawmaker had no solid proof against the President and his daughter, saying Trillanes’ allegations were rehashed and old news.
“It’s an old song, and it’s like a broken record,” he said. With Vito Barcelo