Duterte says Trillanes has offshore accounts, vows to ‘destroy’ him

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte turned the table on Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, accusing him of hiding multiple bank accounts in at least 4 countries outside the Philippines.

“I’m coming up with Trillanes’ bank deposits all over [the world]. Nakuha ko na. Akala kasi niya hindi ko rin kaya eh (I have them. He thinks I can’t do what he does). I am giving you in a few days the number of deposits he has with Chinese joint accounts,” Duterte said in his speech at the Closing Ceremony of the 26th Mindanao Business Conference on Saturday, September 9.

It’s the latest escalation in the political war between the two since the campaign period when the rebel-turned-senator campaigned against Duterte and accused him of hiding multi-million-peso accounts, contrary to his image of being a simple and incorruptible politician.

“He is bent on destroying me. So I destroy him or he will destory me,” said Duterte.

Duterte was pressed for details at his next event at a military headquarters in Cagayan De Oro where he visited soldiers wounded in Marawi to personally pin medals to them and give away P110,000 cash, a pistol, and mobile phone to another batch of 74 soldiers.

“We will show it,” Duterte said. Duterte the bank accounts Trillanes allegedly maintains with Chinese individuals are deposited in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.

Duterte claimed he had long known about Trillanes’ bank accounts but is only revealing it now. “Medyo sumosobra na kasi. (It’s too much) He’s been at it against me, my son, and my family since election,” said Duterte.

“Kung ano nakuha niya, basura. Itong akin, hindi ito basura. Nandiyan ako sa gobyerno so bakit ko kailangan ng basura? All I have to do is to get the goods on him,” said Duterte. (What he got was garbage. What I have isn’t. I’m in government, so why should I get garbage?)

Trillanes, however, denies this, saying it is “fake news.”

“Sinungalin ‘yan si Duterte (he is a liar). Hinahamon ko sya na ilabas nya ‘yung detalye at agaran ako pipirma ng waiver para malaman ang katotohanan,” the senator said.

(I dare him to detail his accusations, and I will immediately sign a waiver, so the truth will come out.)

Duterte said he will also pursue cases against Trillanes in connection with the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds. Trillanes allegedly used DAP funds to pay 200 consultants, which Duterte said is questionable. – Rappler.com