THE latest disclosures of former Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on the financial transactions and corporate interests allegedly linked to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and her family deserve serious examination because portions of the financial trail he previously identified have already been apparently corroborated by independent government records, House prosecution adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers said Friday.
Barbers stressed that Trillanes was originally included in the prosecution’s witness list precisely because his information was considered relevant to Article II of the impeachment case, particularly the allegations involving financial transactions, assets, corporate interests and possible discrepancies with Duterte’s sworn Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
“The disclosures made today (Friday) by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV deserve serious attention,” Barbers said.
“Senator Trillanes did not merely give us accusations. He identified a financial trail. And portions of that trail have already been independently corroborated by official records,” Barbers said.
Barbers said 19 transactions randomly selected from the annexes of Trillanes’ sworn affidavit during the April 22 House Committee on Justice hearing all had corresponding transactions in Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records.
“Nineteen out of nineteen transactions checked had corresponding transactions in the AMLC records. Not one. Not two. Nineteen out of nineteen,” Barbers said.
The transactions were randomly selected during the congressional proceedings and were not chosen by Trillanes for verification.
Barbers said the prosecution later compared bank records produced through the impeachment court’s processes with AMLC information. All 15 bank accounts initially cross-checked matched accounts identified in AMLC records.
“That is why Senator Trillanes was on our original witness list,” Barbers said. “Subsequent official records have provided independent corroboration for significant portions of that trail.”
Trillanes on Friday publicly presented information he had intended to bring before the Senate impeachment court after asking to be excused as a prosecution witness.
Barbers said Trillanes’ withdrawal should not be mistaken for the prosecution repudiating him or the information he provided.
Trillanes said he stepped aside to spare the prosecution from pressure surrounding his appearance.
“But a witness stepping away from the witness stand does not make independently existing documents disappear,” Barbers said.
“AMLC records remain AMLC records. Bank records remain bank records. SEC records remain SEC records. SALNs remain sworn public documents,” he added.
Trillanes discussed historical transactions he said should be compared with Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs); transactions involving members of the Duterte family and businessman Samuel “Sammy” Uy; corporate records involving Gencorp Industries Inc., Metro City Chow Foods Corporation and related entities; and financial activity involving Cale88 Foods Corporation, associated with Duterte’s husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
He also alleged substantial financial inflows from China, including P319 million-plus to Cale88 from the Chinese government and China-based corporations.
Barbers said some of the matters raised by Trillanes overlap with documentary evidence the prosecution is presenting or seeking to establish before the impeachment court.
The AMLC is expected to present summaries of covered and suspicious transaction reports involving Duterte, Carpio and juridical entities, as well as records on inward remittances to Cale88 from China and other countries and insurance- and investment-related transactions.
“Senator Trillanes did not merely give us accusations. He identified a financial trail. And portions of that trail have already been independently corroborated by official records,” Barbers said.
He said Trillanes’ additional disclosures must likewise be tested against official documents.
“Ang tanong ngayon ay hindi kung paniniwalaan ba si Trillanes. Ang tanong ay: Ano pa sa mga inilantad niya ang mapapatunayan ng mga opisyal na rekord?” Barbers said.
The prosecution will continue presenting official records and competent witnesses to establish the financial trail before the impeachment court, he said.
“Sundan ang pera. Sundan ang mga dokumento. Ihambing sa SALN. At hayaang ang opisyal na rekord ang magpatunay kung saan hahantong ang ebidensya,” Barbers said.
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