MANILA, Philippines – Inihayag ni Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian na kung totoong may P96 milyon sa joint time deposit accounts sina Vice President Sara Duterte at ng ama nitong si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, dapat nakarehistro ito sa kanyang Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Sa kanyang testimonya sa impeachment court nitong Miyerkules, Oktubre 7, sinabi ni BPI Central Metro Manila Branches Division Head Marwin Galvez na nagbukas ang mag-ama ng joint time deposit accounts na nagkakahalaga ng P40 milyon at P55 milyon noong 2010.
Ayon kay public prosecutor James Bryan Ibrahim Alih, naging P41.72 milyon na ang P40 milyon na account nang mag-mature ito noong Marso 2011. Umabot daw sa P96 milyon ang kabuuang halaga ng dalawang account.
Ginamit umano ang P96 milyon para bumili ng manager’s checks simula 2011.
Tinanong ni Gatchalian si Alih kung paano nailipat ang pondo mula sa joint accounts papunta sa bangko bilang bayad sa manager’s checks.
“The reason why I am asking is because I’m comparing this with Vice President Sara’s Saln. If there was a P96 million joint time deposit account, that should have been reflected in her Saln because it was a joint account and she knew that such an account existed,” ayon sa Senate President.
Pero ayon kay Gatchalian, wala siyang nakitang P96 milyon na entry nang suriin nito ang 2010 SALN ng bise presidente.
“I’m trying to link that to what you said earlier about purchasing a manager’s check… I’m trying to link that to the Saln to see if there is a pattern,” paliwanag niya.
Kinilala ni defense lawyer Michael Poa ang tanong ng Senate chief, pero iginiit na walang alam ang bise presidente sa mga transaksyon sa joint accounts.
“I think the good Senate president’s question is correct. The operative phrase is, ‘if she is aware.’ You were saying that these accounts, the time deposits, if she was aware of them, should have been reflected in the SALN. The operative phrase there is, ‘if she is aware’,” sabi ni Poa.
“And secondly, as we demonstrated during cross-examination, none of these time deposits or transactions bore the signature of our Vice President. And all of them were done by the former President Rodrigo R. Duterte,” dagdag niya.
Sinundan ni Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros ang linya ng pagtatanong ni Gatchalian. Binasa niya ang liham ni Poa sa BPI Legal na nagsabing ang bise presidente ay may “no knowledge, participation, or recollection of maintaining or having any beneficial interest” sa dalawang account.
“So my related question regarding this letter you sent to BPI Legal, Attorney Poa, is this: Based on what you have said so far, my understanding is that the actual owner of and the person who controlled the P41 million manager’s check was Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and not Sara Duterte. Is that correct?” tanong ni Hontiveros.
“Well, to better phrase it, Your Honor, our client does not have any recollection of this account,” sagot ni Poa. Idinagdag niyang itinatanggi rin ng kanyang kliyente ang anumang involvement sa mga transaksyon. Ernie Reyes
