FORMER senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been “vindicated again by official records” from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) that were presented before the Senate Impeachment Court on Monday, private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said.
“In fairness to Sen. Trillanes, just like what happened before the House of Representatives, it seems like he has been vindicated again by official records,” Tolosa said.
AMLC Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura testified on ₱4.4 billion in covered and suspicious transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio or both from 2007 to 2025.
He also confirmed ₱319,326,770.41 in inward remittances from mainland China and Hong Kong to Cale88 Foods Corporation. Carpio held a 47.5-percent interest in the company through 2024.
Deputy Speaker Iloilo Reo. Janette Garin said the figures presented in court tracked numbers previously raised by Trillanes.
“Marami ang nagtatanong, hindi kaya gawa-gawa lang iyan? Saan nanggaling yung mga numero na iyan? Ngayon na nagsalita ang AMLC, nabigyan ng katotohanan ang kanyang mga sinabi,” Garin said.
House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers likewise pointed to the comparison between Trillanes’ disclosures and the official AMLC submission.
“Doon sa mga information na ipinahayag ni Sen. Trillanes sa kanyang press conference, mukhang tumutugma dito sa report ng ating Anti-Money Laundering Council na isinumite dito sa ating impeachment court,” Barbers said.
The AMLC evidence also covered confidential information-sharing reports in which Duterte was the subject of suspicion in 27 reports and Carpio in 17. One series of records identified businessman Samuel Kang Uy, whose name had also appeared in Trillanes’ presentation. The court will assess each record and transaction separately.
Tolosa said the China remittances stood out among the figures discussed by Trillanes.
“Marami siyang sinabi na mga transactions, maraming information na narinig din natin ngayon na-confirm doon sa documents and summary identified by the AMLC executive director. Yung pinakatumatak, dahil noong press conference niya talagang pinag-usapan, ay yung funds that were received from China-based companies,” he said.
Cale88 recorded ₱1,254,736,297.08 in reported covered and suspicious transactions from 2022 to 2025. Its AMLC summary listed 742 CTRs and 15 STRs, including three China-related STRs carrying the stated ground that there was no underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose or economic justification.
Barbers said the records now allowed the court to examine the movement of funds cited in the allegations.
“Napakahalaga ng information na ito dahil we can already follow yung money trail,” he said.
Tolosa said Trillanes’ removal from the witness list did not remove the institutional records underlying parts of his presentation.
“Ang mas importante naman ngayon, kahit wala na yung testimony ni Senator Trillanes on the record, yung mga ebidensya na magiging basis ng naging statements niya. Ito na yung mga naririnig natin today at patuloy naman nating maririnig,” he said.
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