Digong on bank account records: ‘Make it 20 years’

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Presidential bet Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said he is willing to make public his bank account records as far back as 20 years to prove that he is not hiding anything.

“Make it 20 years,” the tough-talking mayor said in response to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s challenge to show the transaction history of his account at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Julia Vargas branch in Pasig City for the past nine years.

But Duterte said he would only do so if his rivals would also open their bank accounts.

“Bakit ako lang? Ano ako, uto-uto nila? Pareho kaming tatakbong presidente, bakit ako lang. (Why just me? What do they think I am, gullible? We’re all running for president, why should it be just me)?” he said.

Duterte said he would allow his lawyer, Salvador Panelo, to open his bank account in front of Trillanes today. 

Duterte earlier made public his bank account in BPI, which showed that it only has P17,000 and not P221 million as alleged by Trillanes. The bank statement, however, only showed transactions from December 2015 to April 28 this year.

Trillanes claimed that the million-peso deposits happened in 2014.

He said opening the bank records for the past nine years was important because “if Duterte has withdrawn the money, then the total amount of transactions would not be reflected on the current account balance.”

Duterte believes the administration had something to do with Trillanes’ exposé. He earlier accused Sen. Grace Poe, another presidential aspirant, of being behind Trillanes’ exposé.

The mayor said the bank documents shown by Trillanes and Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II were the same “down to the last centavo.”

“Look at the figures. They’re all the same. Add them all up, they’re the same to the last centavo. Hindi n’yo ba napansin ‘yan (Didn’t you notice that)?” Duterte told reporters.

Duterte asked the crowd during his campaign rally in Sorsogon City not to believe Trillanes.

“Hinila ko lang siya nang hinila kasi gusto ko siyang mag-execute ng affidavit (I took him for a ride because I want him to executive an affidavit). If he signs an affidavit stating that this is my account and the amount deposited, (expletive deleted) kaso ito (I will file a case),” Duterte said, referring to the bank secrecy laws.

Duterte said he was just fooling Trillanes when he said that he has “a little less than P211 million” in his bank accounts.

Duterte reiterated that the BPI account contained only P17,000 but ballooned to around P25,000 because Roxas and other people deposited amounts to his account in an attempt to verify its existence.

Duterte said he would withdraw the P17,000 in his bank account and donate the balance to Caritas Philippines.

Meanwhile, police will secure the BPI Julia Vargas branch where Duterte will open his bank account today.

Sr. Supt. Jose Hidalgo Jr., Pasig City police chief, advised motorists to expect traffic in the area as supporters of Duterte and Trillanes would gather at the BPI branch to witness the opening of the mayor’s bank account.  – With Non Alquitran