MANILA, Philippines – Itinanggi ni Vice President Sara Duterte spokesperson Paolo Panelo na “nakumpirma” ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) ang mga alegasyon ni dating Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV tungkol sa umano’y perang natanggap ng pamilya Duterte mula sa China.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Trillanes na nakatanggap umano si Duterte ng pera mula sa China na dumaan sa kumpanyang Cale88. Sa impeachment trial, kinumpirma naman ng AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura na nakatanggap ang Cale88 Foods Corp., na konektado kay lawyer Manases Carpio, asawa ng bise presidente, ng kabuuang P319.3 milyon mula China at Hong Kong.
Ayon kay Panelo, ang kinumpirma lamang ni Buenaventura ay ang mga covered at suspicious transaction reports na isinumite ng mga bangko. Hindi umano nito napatunayan na ilegal ang pinagmulan ng pera o na pagmamay-ari ito ni Duterte.
“If anything was confirmed, it is only that Trillanes obtained his information illegally in violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act and Bank Secrecy Laws,” ani Panelo.
“The AMLC Executive Director merely testified on covered and suspicious transactions reports filed by banks. He did not, because he could not, confirm, and the prosecution still has to prove, that any money attributed to the Vice President was illegally sourced, was hidden, or was even hers to begin with,” dagdag niya.
Binatikos din ni Panelo si Trillanes, na una sanang magiging saksi ng prosecution sa impeachment trial ngunit kalaunan ay inalis sa listahan ng mga testigo.
“Trillanes is no truth-teller. He is a professional anti-Duterte propagandist who tried to fill the gaps in the prosecution’s evidence with hearsay, rumors, malicious speculation, and outright lies,” ani Panelo.
Samantala, sinabi ng ilang prosecutor na maaaring lumitaw sa testimonya ng mga saksi ang mga alegasyon ni Trillanes habang tinatalakay ng impeachment court ang Article 2 tungkol sa umano’y unexplained wealth ni Duterte.
Ayon kay Panelo, sinabi mismo umano ni Senator-Judge Ping Lacson na walang probative value ang mga alegasyon ni Trillanes.
“Senator-Judge [Ping] Lacson himself has confirmed that his accusations have no probative value. His allegations are better suited for the parlor, not the court,” ani Panelo.
Nang hingan ng pahayag, sinabi ni Trillanes na “no comment” siya sa isyu. RNT/MDS
