Vice President Sara Duterte has denied allegations of having billions of pesos in suspicious bank transactions, stating that her money and assets are legitimate and properly documented.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, the vice president said, “Simple lang ang sagot ko sa lahat ng paninira. Malinis ang aking service record; hindi ako kailanman nagkaroon ng kaso sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.”
She added that all her assets and cash are declared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
The vice president’s denial came in response to former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who alleged during a House Justice Committee hearing on Wednesday that Duterte’s family received ₱181 million in illegal drug money.
Duterte criticized the timing and nature of the allegations, labeling them as a coordinated effort to tarnish her reputation ahead of future political cycles.
She asserted that the testimonies provided by Trillanes were "hearsay" and lacked the necessary documentary evidence to prove a direct link between the alleged illegal funds and her personal accounts.
Despite her defense, members of the House Committee on Justice have called for a more thorough cross-referencing of her SALNs with the data recently flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Lawmakers noted that the sheer volume of transactions—reaching billions of pesos—requires a level of transparency that goes beyond a social media statement.
The committee is expected to invite representatives from the banking sector to clarify the movement of funds in the accounts mentioned during the hearing.
Written by Czairine Quimoyog, Insight PH
Czairine Quimoyog, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
