Trillanes to quit Senate, VP race if claims vs Duterte proven false

SENATOR VOWS TO LEAD IMPEACHMENT IF MAYOR WINS PRESIDENCY

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday vowed to resign from the Senate and withdraw from the vice presidential race if his claims that presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte did not declare at least P211 million in his 2014 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) were proven false.


In a press conference at the Magdalo headquarters in Quezon City, Trillanes dared the tough-talking mayor to sign a waiver that will allow the opening and scrutiny of his bank accounts, and file a libel case against him if the allegations were false, as Duterte claims them to be.


“Ngayon hinahamon ko si Mayor Duterte, pirmahan mo ‘tong waiver na ‘to na sa ganoon malaman natin once and for all kung ano ang lamang nyang account mo sa BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands),” Trillanes told reporters, as he dared Duterte to meet him at the BPI branch on Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City on Monday to personally sign the waiver.

(I am challenging Mayor Duterte to sign this waiver so that once and for all, his account at BPI would be open to public scrutiny.)

“Mag-re-resign ako sa Senado at mag-wi-withdraw ako sa pagka-bise presidente. Kapag nagkamali ako, wala na ako sa politika,” he said.

(I would resign from the Senate and withdraw from the vice presidential race. If my claims were proven false, I would no longer be in politics.)

Trillanes also vowed to spearhead an impeachment case against Duterte, who has been leading in the preference surveys less than two weeks before the May national elections, should he be elected to the highest position in the land.

“Gagawin ko itong basis for an impeachment complaint, ako ang mangunguna diyan,” he said.

(I would spearhead an impeachment complaint and I would use this as basis.)

Trillanes said Duterte had at least P211 million in an account at a BPI branch in Metro Manila in 2014, which he said the mayor did not declare in his SALN.

Duterte signed a pledge in March that would allow for the opening of his bank accounts for public scrutiny, but he backtracked from his earlier pronouncement to “make it difficult for Trillanes.”

“Not anymore. I’ll make it difficult for Trillanes. It’s just a piece of paper. You prove it. Why will I give it to him? I’ll take the waiver and I will tell him, ‘Prove it. I will not make it easy for you. I will not play into your hands. You prove it,’” Duterte said on Wednesday.

Trillanes said they used the pledge, however, the bank did not accept it as a formal waiver.

The senator said the P211 million was just the “tip of the iceberg,” saying that undeclared “hundreds of millions” have yet to be uncovered by accounting firms.

“Pwede siyang magtago sa legalities pero sa isyu na ‘to natanggal ‘yung tapang niya eh… Labas niya ‘yung tapang niya,” Trillanes said.

(He could hide from legalities but in this issue, his courage disappeared. He must show his bravery in this issue.)

Duterte called the allegations as “fabrication,” saying that Trillanes was a “dangerous man” and “money for hire,” and exploring the possibility of filing charges against the senator

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