By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
“The most disturbing aspect of it is the Chinese money. That now rises to a national security issue.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. did not mince words in expressing his concern at the alleged financial links to China of enterprises owned by the Duterte couple during a media conference at Singapore on Sunday.
The revelation comes at the juncture of escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea vis à vis the backdrop of an ongoing impeachment inquiry against Vice President Sara Duterte, which the President cited as a cause of serious alarm.
However, he maintained that truth shall prevail above all the noise surrounding the government’s second-highest official, ““Let’s find the evidence and see what the truth is. That’s what’s important.”
This, in response to the earlier press conference of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who shared a deep-dive into the China-linked transactions of the Duterte Couple, especially pinpointing Cale88 Foods Corporation and Tapang at Malasakit Foundation, respectively.
Through a powerpoint presentation, Trillanes presented a detailed outline of the Vice President’s corporate network, as well as questioned the substantial discrepancies between her declared assets and her financial transactions.
Meanwhile, President Marcos Jr. fired back at the allegations dished by Vice President Duterte, who claimed that the administration wants to get rid of her in a bid to make charter change a reality, with the President challenging Duterte to present evidence substantiating her claims.
He also clarified that he did not use the term “buwaon” (liar in Waray dialect) to describe the Vice President in his remarks about her, with President Marcos Jr. advising PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro to be more mindful when sharing details on sensitive topics during press conferences.
The Chief Executive concluded by distancing himself from the impeachment trial, instead deferring the verdict to the judgment for the Senate impeachment court to decide upon on account of all the evidence and testimonies gathered during the hearings. (with report from Clay Pardilla | PTV News)
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