MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte surmises that his staunch critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV didn’t hesitate to sign bank secrecy waivers because he has many namesakes.
“Kasi marami ‘yan silang Antonio Trillanes [Because there are many Antonio Trillanes], the third, the second, and Antonio Trillanes, Junior,” Duterte said during a PTV-4 interview on Friday, Sept. 15.
“Sabihin niya, ‘Hindi ito akin. Marami kaming Antonio Trillanes.’ Kasi ‘yong pinirmahan nila, Antonio Trillanes lang. Sasabihin, ‘Hindi akin ‘yan. Marami akong…’ Baka…maski sa ibang lugar, may Antonio Trillanes,” the President said.
[He will say, ‘It’s not mine. There are many Antonio Trillanes.’ Because he only signed as Antonio Trillanes. Maybe in other places, there’s Antonio Trillanes.]
“Maybe this is the reason why he is willing to sign a bank waiver. Because no four or number four in the name of Antonio Trillanes,” Duterte added.
The senator’s father is Antonio Floranza Trillanes, whose wife is Estelita Fuentes. Among the lawmakers’ siblings are Antonio Fuentes Trillanes Jr. and Antonio Fuentes Trillanes III.
But according to Duterte, the senator’s birth date stated in bank documents will establish that he indeed has hidden offshore accounts.
“Pero ang [But] date of birth and account owner has been confirmed,” he said.
Details of Trillanes’ alleged overseas accounts
The President is claiming that Trillanes has several currency accounts in Shanghai, Zurich, Geneva, and Singapore.
These allegedly include an online savings accounts with ANZ Bank and ABN AMRO in Shanghai.
“All foreign accounts of Trillanes are flagged as having international transactions,” Duterte said.
The senator also has four savings accounts in Cayman Islands, “which were opened online,” according to the President.
He also alleges that Trillanes has four accounts in the British Virgin Islands.
“Balances of these accounts are below 700, whereby most of the accounts are within the USD 100,000 – 300,000 range to avoid detection in terms of large amounts of money,” Duterte said.
“Our providers suggested that before closing his Zurich bank account and Singapore bank account — since all of these accounts are single accounts without co-depositor — additionally the information that we provided has existing slips as evidence of these two accounts and were acknowledged to be in existence,” the President said.
Duterte further claimed that Trillanes’ alleged U.S. bank account in Zurich with account number 927519921320 “has a balance of $75,000 or Philippine 3,801,385.05.”
He also claimed that Trillanes’ alleged DBS Bank account with account number 178000296012 in Singapore “has a balance of 193,000.”
“A closer look on his bank account documents in Zurich and Singapore reveals the name Antonio F. Trillanes. Check on this name because the senator’s complete name is Antonio Fuentes Trillanes, will force to the wall the senator says the bank accounts belong,” said Duterte.
Duterte refuses to sign bank waiver
Trillanes has already signed waivers on his alleged bank deposits, authorizing the Office of the Ombudsman and the Anti-Money Laundering Council to look into his accounts here and overseas.
The lawmaker dared the President to also sign bank secrecy waivers. But Duterte refused and said that, “If Trillanes wants to find something of fault with me, tell him, ‘Go somewhere else and fly a kite.’”
“If he wants to get evidence, do not get it from my mouth. You must be stupid, even if it is true or false,” the President added.
In April 2016, before the national elections, Trillanes alleged that Duterte had bank transactions amounting to P2.407 billion.
From 2006 to 2015, Duterte allegedly held seven joint accounts with his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio at the Bank of the Philippine Islands branch in Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City; nine joint accounts at the BPI Edsa Greenhills branch; and one joint account at Banco de Oro Unibank-1 in Davao City.
Trillanes claimed deposits and transfers in the three banks totaled 71, of which 48 were credit memos and 23 were inter-bank transfers, including seven deposits amounting to P193 million, which were purportedly credited to Duterte’s BPI Julia Vargas account on March 28, 2014, the 69th birthday of the then Davao mayor.
Also in April 2016, Duterte denied Trillanes’ allegation and said that “I have an account, with a little less than 200 million.” Asked why he did not declare the P200 in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, Duterte said, “I already spent it.”
