Manila: Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte says he is willing to release his bank records that go back 20 years to prove he has no hidden ill-gotten gains.
Besieged by allegations, thrown his way by vice-presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes IV, that he maintains at least one account with the Bank of Philippine Islands containing P211 million (Dh16.5 million) in deposits, Duterte, accepted his challenge to bare his bank deposits over the last nine years.
Trillanes had said opening the account for the past nine years was important because, “If Duterte has already withdrawn the money before Monday (May 2, 2016), then the total amount of transactions would not be reflected on the current account balance.”
But the Davao City mayor was defiant.
“I am accepting his challenge. I am willing to open not just my bank transactions over the nine years but even that over the last 20 years,” Duterte said.
However, while saying he is open to showing his bank transaction records, Duterte, however, said all the other candidates running for president should also be similarly compelled to reveal their accounts.
“Why just me. Are they taking me for a sucker? We are all running for president but why are they compelling just me to be open my bank records?” he said.
Duterte, who is running in the presidential elections under the banner of the PDP-Laban (Democratic Party of the Philippines-People’s Struggle Coalition), had already submitted a formal request for the issuance of a certification to the Bank of Philippine Islands branch in Pasig where he allegedly maintains an account, his legal counsel said on Monday.
A former government prosecutor, Duterte is aware that an edict, the Bank Secrecy Law, prohibits banks from disclosing details of his bank transactions.
Duterte said he suspected the government was coming down hard on him because of his favourable survey results.
According to various polls, Duterte has a substantial edge over the four other candidates for presidency in the May 9 polls, particularly Senator Grace Poe, Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former interior secretary and President Benigno Aquino III’s hand-picked candidate Mar Roxas.
Duterte similarly accused Trillanes of being Aquino and Roxas’ lackey.
Duterte had earlier said he had an account with the Bank of Philippine Islands and that the account only contained only P17,000 (Dh1,334) and not millions. But he said this amount ballooned to around P25,000 (Dh1,962) because Roxas and other people deposited various amounts to it in a supposed attempt to verify its existence.
Meanwhile the Catholic Church said it is not favouring certain candidates in the May 9 elections.
“The bishops will not impose on people to vote for a particular candidate. People have to participate according to their own conscience. We do not want to preach participation at the same time curtail the people’s capacity to participate,” Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, president of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines said.
