MANILA, Philippines — Bank and tax records scheduled for presentation before the Senate impeachment court next week could help determine whether former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s recent allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte match the financial records, the prosecution panel said Saturday.
Trillanes claimed during a press conference Friday that Duterte held peso and US dollar time deposits in 2007 and 2008 that she did not declare in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
He also alleged that the Chinese government and Chinese companies sent a combined P319 million to Cale88 Food Corp., a company linked to Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio, and P150 million to the vice president’s Tapang at Malasakit Foundation.
Trillanes further alleged that the Duterte family received P181 million from suspected drug lord Sammy Uy.
Private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa said the prosecution would present witnesses and financial records that could help verify the claims.
“So abangan natin dito sa mga maririnig natin sa mga parating na testigo natin at makikita natin sa mga record kung ito hong mga financial transactions na ito ay magma-match doon sa mga narinig natin (kay dating Senator Trillanes),” Tolosa said Saturday during the News Forum.
The prosecution will present representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, banks, financial institutions and the Bureau of Internal Revenue as witnesses next week.
The testimony and records could provide documentary evidence for the impeachment court to compare with the financial transactions cited in Trillanes’ allegations.
Trillanes initially appeared on the House prosecution panel’s witness list but later withdrew as a witness in Duterte’s impeachment trial.