Mar Roxas and Rodrigo Duterte INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas on Wednesday urged other presidential candidates to join him in waiving their bank secrecy rights after Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was alleged to have an undeclared P211 million in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
At the same time, Roxas challenged Duterte to prove to the people that his hands are cleaner than his mouth.
鈥淢ayor Digong, liwanagin mo para sa taong bayan kung ang kamay mo ay mas malinis kaysa iyong bibig (Mayor Digong, clarify to the people whether your hands are cleaner than your mouth),鈥� he said in a statement.
The former Interior secretary, who is in the vote-rich Cebu province to campaign, said he is ready to sign a bank secrecy waiver for the Office of the Ombudsman to scrutinize his accounts.
鈥淎s a private citizen, I am no longer duty bound to disclose my statement of assets and liabilities and net worth. Nevertheless, I strongly adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability. Kaya, handa akong pumirma ng waiver sa aking mga bank accounts para tingnan ng Ombudsman (So I am ready to sign a waiver for my bank accounts to be investigated by the Ombudsman). I invite all candidates to follow my lead,鈥� he said.
Duterte allegedly had at least P211 million in a Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) account in 2014, independent vice presidential candidate Senator Antonio Trillanes IV revealed to Inquirer. This despite receiving a monthly salary of P78,946 as a mayor.
Trillanes, who recently figured in verbal war with Duterte, said the mayor did not declare this in his 2014 SALN where he reported a net worth of P21,971,732.62鈥攁ssets worth P22,971,732.62 and a liability of P1 million.
Duterte, however, denied the existence of the BPI account that contained millions of pesos and called it a mere 鈥渇abrication of Trillanes.鈥�
The tough-talking mayor maintained that he would not issue a waiver for the said account.
READ: A fabrication, says Duterte who will not issue waiver
If Duterte鈥檚 wealth came from a legitimate source, Roxas said the mayor does not have a reason to hide it to the public.
鈥淟ahat ng kandidato, humihiling ng tiwala sa mamamayan. Kasama na si Digong. Tungkulin natin ang humanap ng linaw tungkol sa isyung ito. Kung lehitimo ang pinanggalingan ng kayaman, bakit ito ikahihiya?鈥� he said.
(All candidates ask for the people鈥檚 trust. That includes Digong. It is our duty to find clarity on this issue. If the wealth came from legitimate sources, then why would you be ashamed of it?)
鈥淭rustworthiness is at the very core of everyone鈥檚 campaign. Including Digong鈥檚. The people are entitled to straight answers to straight questions. It is our responsibility to make sure things are clarified,鈥� he added.
READ: Mar dares Duterte to honor word, withdraw
As a former public official, Roxas said he had been religiously submitting his SALN for more than two decades, saying he is confident that there is nothing questionable in his properties.
鈥淕aya ng sinabi ko, hindi importante kung paano tayo dumating dito sa mundo. Mas mahalaga kung ano ang ginawa natin sa buhay natin: Naging tapat ba tayo? Tinalikuran ba natin ang pagnanakaw at katiwalian? Ito ang mga prinsipyong pinaglalaban natin at 鈥榶an ang hangad ng mga disenteng Pilipino, tapat, malinis, at matinong pagsisilbi sa ating mga kababayan,鈥� he said.
鈥淜asama po sa mga patunay niyan ang mga SALN na aking ipinasa sa mahigit dalawang dekada ko as a public servant. Nakahayag ang lahat, walang nakatago, walang kuwestiyunable.鈥�
(Like what I said before, it is not important how we came into this world. What is more important is what we have done with our lives: have we been sincere? Have we shunned corruption and stealing? These are the principles we fight for and that鈥檚 what decent Filipinos aspire for, sincere, clean and sensible service for our people.
Proof of this includes the SALN that I have submitted in the more than my two decades as a public servant. Everything is declared, nothing is questionable.) CDG
READ: Duterte, Roxas win 3rd presidential debate鈥敽诹仙� Facebook, site polls
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