Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has challenged anew President Rodrigo Duterte to sign a waiver or resign from the presidency, as he felt vindicated after the Office of the Ombudsman found sufficient reason to act on his complaint over the Chief Executive鈥檚 alleged ill-gotten wealth.
鈥淭his proves not only that my allegations about his billion-peso bank accounts are true, but also that Duterte has fooled a lot of people into believing that he is not corrupt,鈥� Trillanes said.
At the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday, the opposition senator once again dared Duterte: 鈥淭he only way na ma-disprove ang allegations sa kanya ay pumirma siya ng waiver. Kung hindi siya pipirma, kailangan niya mag-resign. So sign or resign.鈥�
In a speech last September 20, Duterte said that, 鈥淚f you see P200 million and confirm that I have it, I will step down tomorrow.鈥�
Malaca帽ang has welcomed the Ombudsman鈥檚 investigation on Duterte鈥檚 alleged unexplained wealth.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella has maintained that 鈥渢he President has nothing to hide.鈥�
鈥淭he President respects the internal processes of the Ombudsman as an independent body, and trusts its impartiality in the conduct of its fact-finding duty,鈥� Abella said in a statement.
Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang said on Tuesday that Trillanes鈥� complaint was sufficient for the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to make the bank inquiry.
The Ombudsman said the documents on Duterte鈥檚 bank accounts, which the AMLC submitted to them, are 鈥渕ore or less鈥� the same as the ones that Trillanes has presented.
鈥淪inabi mo na hindi totoo 鈥榶ung mga accounts na 鈥榶an. In fact, kinakastigo mo 鈥榶ung ABS-CBN at Inquirer na bakit ginamit 鈥榶ung basura na allegation ko pero ngayon totoo naman pala so therefore, sinungaling na siya, corrupt pa siya,鈥� Trillanes asserted.
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