DAVAO CITY – Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is unfazed by the investigation into the family’s alleged hidden wealth by the Office of the Ombudsman as it is the proper venue where the family can answer all accusations.
“I welcome it so that we can finally answer all accusations in the proper venue,” the city mayor said in a statement released by the City Information Office Thursday.
Her short remark was her reaction to the investigation into the “unexplained wealth” of President Rodrigo Duterte and his family which the Ombudsman found sufficient to conduct a probe.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales has inhibited to lead the investigation since her nephew, Manases “Mans” Carpio, is the husband of the city mayor. The Ombudsman instead authorized Overall Deputy Ombudsman Arthur Carandang to start the probe.
Reports said Carandang has already requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council for a final validation on the bank transaction records of the first family, following the flow of money through deposits and withdrawals of Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, Sebastian, and joint accounts with Mayor Duterte-Carpio.
The records obtained by the Ombudsman reportedly includes the President’s common-law wife, Honeylet Avancena, and their daughter, Kitty.
It stemmed from the complaint filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on the alleged multi-billion wealth of the Dutertes. Trillanes had earlier claimed that the Office of the Ombudsman was in possession of AMLC records regarding Duterte’s alleged flagged bank transactions in various bank accounts involving P2 billion in deposits and credits.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the president respects the Ombudsman’s internal processes and trusts its impartiality in the conduct of the investigation.
During the 120th anniversary of the Department of Justice last September 26, President Duterte opened the issue before the delegates, admitting that his late father, Governor Vicente Duterte, of then undivided Davao left them substantial properties which were divided among the siblings.
The inheritance was a product of his father’s hardwork when the family migrated from Visayas.
“We had an ice plant and a lumber yard. Construction was booming at that time in Davao. It was a developing city. But when he died, we could not agree with each other, the brothers and sisters, so we decided to sell all,” the President said in his speech.
He admitted to have a substantial inheritance. “At sinabi ko (and I said), if you… I authorized everybody, everybody as in everybody to look — to dig into the IBAA, Insular Bank of Asia and America. That’s the UnionBank now. You’d find there that ‘yung fourth year pa kami, I had a million already. ‘Yan ang totoo (You’d find there that when I was fourth year, I had a million already. That’s the truth),” he said.
But, the President pointed out that the alleged P211 million does not exist. If someone could show he has that amount, even one dollar, in HongKong “I will step down as President of this Republic.”
During the presidential elections when Trillanes raised the issue, Duterte already gave a waiver.
“Kung tiningnan lang nila noon (If they have looked into it then). I was already — And I am ready to step down now,” he said.
The President said he has always lived by the values inherited from his father and mother.
“And that’s the same thing that I’m giving to my children,” he said. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
