Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp rejected former senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s latest allegations involving unexplained wealth and China-linked funds, calling them “black propaganda” and challenging the prosecution to present evidence it considers credible before the Senate impeachment court.
Duterte spokesperson Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. accused Trillanes of recycling allegations against the Duterte family involving extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, unexplained wealth, corruption and alleged connections to China.
“Since 2016, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been peddling the same exhausted lies,” Panelo said in a statement dated Oct. 3.
The response came a day after Trillanes publicly presented information he said he had intended to testify about in Duterte’s impeachment trial before he was dropped from the prosecution’s witness list.
Trillanes alleged that Duterte had millions of pesos in time deposits that were not reflected in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth when she was Davao City vice mayor. He also questioned financial transactions involving Duterte, her husband Manases “Mans” Carpio and entities associated with them.
Among his claims was that more than P319 million from China-linked sources flowed into Cale88 Foods Corp., a company in which Carpio previously held shares.
Trillanes also cited the P150-million donation from the Chinese government to Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines for the construction of school buildings in Davao City. The donation was publicly disclosed when the project was launched.
Duterte’s camp rejected Trillanes’ characterization of the transactions and accused him of avoiding cross-examination by presenting his claims at a press conference instead of before the impeachment court.
“The moment he was faced with the very first opportunity to test his wild claims against actual facts, verified records, and law through cross-examination by the Vice President’s defense team, Trillanes folded,” Panelo said.
“Instead of defending his claims under oath, he chose the comfort of a safe and scripted press conference where his lies could once again go unchallenged,” he added.
Trillanes previously said it was his decision to ask the House prosecution panel to withdraw him as a witness, saying he wanted to relieve prosecutors of what he described as pressure surrounding his appearance. The prosecution subsequently confirmed that he would no longer testify.
Panelo claimed Trillanes’ decision was proof that his accusations could not withstand legal scrutiny.
“This sudden retreat is absolute proof that his claims cannot survive real legal scrutiny, and are nothing but black propaganda,” he said.
Impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol earlier said Trillanes was free to make statements outside the proceedings but stressed that the court would decide the case based on evidence formally presented during the trial.
Panelo said Duterte would allow the evidence presented in the impeachment court to speak for itself.
“Her defense team stands ready to refute whatever Trillanes accusation the prosecution believes is even credible enough for the Court’s serious consideration,” he said.
