Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Duterte family has some strong words against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV after he revived his accusation that President Rodrigo Duterte had P2.2 billion bank deposits.
Without mentioning Trillanes’ name, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte called the senator “ugok” (stupid) and described the allegation as “wild accusations.”
“If this senator, whose name is not worth mentioning, could prove that I have those millions in the said bank accounts, then I will give them all to the victims of the earthquake in Surigao,” said the Vice Mayor in a statement Thursday.
“He earlier accused me of being a drug user and when I had proven that I am not, now he accuses me of having millions in questionable wealth. From drug test and now bank test. If I may suggest for him to take a psychiatric test as something is very, very wrong with his mind,” he said.
Mayor Sara Duterte, Paolo’s younger sister also said if the Senator can show where her alleged P121 million is “and how it became illegal,” she would give it to everybody.
In a statement, the Mayor said: “Wala akong postura labas sa kung ano ang nakikita ng lahat. I never pretended to be what I am not. If Trillanes can show where my alleged Php 121 million is right now and how it became illegal, kunin natin at ibigay ko sa inyo lahat.”
She alo said she has read the statement of Trillanes but pointed out the challenge was addressed to their father.
“Let us allow (President Duterte) to decide on how he wants this issue to go down,” she added.
President Duterte, meanwhile, issued a recorded video on Thursday evening to air his response to Trillanes.
He said Trillanes has “nothing to lose if he would resign from office” adding that the Senator has no political career after his term expires in less than two years.
“Which explains his penchant for all this daring President to resign,” he said.
Trillanes first brought up the issue in April last year, when Duterte was still on his campaign trail. Trillanes urged Duterte to open his bank accounts and that he will resign as a Senator if he is wrong. Trillanes also included Duterte’s children in his accusations.
Duterte challenged the Senator to prove his allegation that he has amassed the amount “illegally.”
“Or if that bank account under my name has a total deposit at one time of even just half a billion, I will resign as President immediately,” he said.
He said the Senator should go to court and file the case.
The President also defended his partner, Honeylet and his daughter Sara.
“He even included day-to-day banking transactions of my partner, Honeylet. This just shows his ignorance with regards to the [unclear] banking business, the people who have personal businesses,” Duterte said.
He said Honeylet has a donut business for 18 years and supplies meat in five malls in the city.
“Diyan kalaki ang pera ng babaeng ‘yan. Matiyaga. Hindi kagaya mo, ambisyoso,” he said.
He added that Mayor Sara is a lawyer by profession who earns from her clients and services.
Paolo and Sara are Duterte’s children with his first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman.(davaotoday.com)
