Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, April 23, pushed back against renewed allegations of undisclosed wealth, accusing former senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV of recycling “baseless” claims while alleging that a broader political machinery is being used to discredit her.
In a statement released April 23, Duterte said Trillanes has been repeating the same narrative about alleged billions in bank accounts for nearly a decade without presenting new evidence. She argued that while the claims remain unchanged, the forces supporting them have evolved. “For nearly a decade, Mr. Antonio Trillanes IV has been peddling the same incredible story… nothing in his narrative has changed. What has changed, however, is the machinery now backing him,” Duterte said. The vice president went further, accusing unnamed officials in government institutions of being weaponized for political purposes. She claimed that certain members of the House of Representatives, the Commission on Audit (COA), and newly appointed officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) have acted in ways that align with efforts to undermine her. Duterte also linked the timing of the allegations to her departure from the Cabinet, stating that attacks intensified after she refused to support a national budget she could not defend publicly. “Simple lang ang sagot ko sa lahat ng paninira… Lahat ng aking ari-arian at pera ay idineklara ko sa aking SALN. Ang bawat sentimo ay mula sa lehitimong pinanggalingan,” she said, maintaining that her record in public service remains clean and free from misuse of government funds. In a strongly worded remark, Duterte added, “Ang mga totoong magnanakaw, hindi sa bangko pinapasok ang pera—kundi sa maleta,” suggesting that corruption occurs outside formal financial systems. Allegations vs Duterte Trillanes, however, earlier alleged that Duterte and several members of her family received a total of ₱181.65 million from an alleged drug lord identified as Samuel Uy, whom he described as a political contributor of former president Rodrigo Duterte and a business partner of Michael Yang. In an affidavit submitted to the House Committee on Justice, Trillanes claimed that the vice president, former president, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, Honeylet Avanceña, and Veronica "Kitty" Duterte either received or encashed millions of pesos worth of manager’s checks and personal checks from Uy. The former senator also claimed that the Duterte family’s wealth was linked to illegal drugs. In an ambush interview on April 22, Trillanes expressed satisfaction after the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) allegedly confirmed aspects of his previous claims involving members of the Duterte family. Meanwhile, the vice president also criticized the current administration, raising issues such as alleged irregularities in flood control spending, rising prices of basic goods, poverty, and the lack of clear direction in peace talks and foreign policy. She urged the public not to be distracted by what she described as politically motivated impeachment noise. “Huwag kayong magpalinlang sa ingay ng impeachment na ito. Dahil ang tunay na laban ay para sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino,” Duterte said. As of writing, Malacañang and other agencies mentioned in the statement have yet to issue a response to the vice president's claims.
