HOUSE Committee on Public Accounts Chair Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list on Saturday said that the scale of financial activity now effectively acknowledged by the Vice President’s own camp raises serious questions of accountability that may already constitute unexplained wealth and a form of betrayal of public trust.
Ridon, a lawyer and member of the House Committee on Justice, said the issue is not complicated and can be understood through three basic questions: gaano kalaki ang galaw ng pera, saan ito nanggaling, at saan ito napunta.
Ridon was reacting to the statement of Duterte spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa, who said the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) figures should be read with caution because they reflect the simple addition of transactions over 18 to 19 years, not the actual remaining balance in the accounts.
For Ridon, that line of defense does not weaken the issue—it tightens it.
“Kung hindi false, eh totoo ang mga bilyong dumaan sa bangko. At kung totoo ang ganitong kalaking galaw ng pera na hindi maipaliwanag, malinaw na pumapasok ito sa usapin ng unexplained wealth at betrayal of public trust. We are prepared to go to trial on that admission,” Ridon said.
“Kung ang sinasabi nila ay hindi mali ang mga numero kundi ‘inaccurate’ lang, ibig sabihin niyan hindi nila kinokontra ang mismong laki ng transaksyon. At kapag hindi mo kinokontra ang bilyon-bilyong galaw ng pera, mas lalo mong pinagtitibay ang tanong kung paano ito nangyari,” Ridon said.
He stressed that the issue is not whether total transactions match year-end balances, but the scale, source, and disposition of the funds involved.
“Ang usapan dito, may bilyon-bilyong galaw ng pera, hindi malinaw kung saan nanggaling, at hindi malinaw kung saan napunta—iyan ang kabuuang tanong ng accountability,” he said.
Ridon pointed to the records already discussed in the House Committee on Justice last April 22. The Office of the Ombudsman presented Duterte’s SALN history from 2007 to 2024, showing her declared net worth rising from ₱7.25 million in 2007 to ₱88.51 million in 2024. In the same proceedings, the Anti-Money Laundering Council reported ₱6.77 billion in covered and suspicious transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
“Magkaiba ang milyon sa bilyon. Hindi ito simpleng formatting issue o misunderstanding sa spreadsheet,” Ridon said.
“Kapag ganyan kalaki ang agwat, hindi ka makakalusot sa linyang mali lang ang presentasyon.”
He also rejected the argument that the figures should not be alarming because they span nearly two decades.
“Kahit hati-hatiin mo pa iyan sa 18 o 19 taon, hindi nabubura ang tanong,” Ridon said.
“Kahit umikot lang ang pera, kailangan pa ring ipaliwanag kung saan nanggaling ang pondo na pumasok sa accounts.”
He emphasized that the issue ultimately comes down to whether declared financial capacity can explain the scale of activity reflected in official records.
“May money trail, may sworn declaration, at may constitutional duty to disclose,” he said.
“Kung hindi nagtutugma ang mga iyan, may kailangang sagutin.”
Ridon said that what the public is seeing is not a clarification, but an evasion.
“Ang ginagawa nila ngayon ay hindi paglilinaw kundi pagpapalabo,” Ridon said.
“Kapag hindi mo masagot nang diretso ang bilyon-bilyong galaw ng pera, hindi puwedeng asahan na maniniwala ang tao sa palusot na ‘total transactions lang iyan.’”
For Ridon, the proper place for any real explanation is the impeachment process itself.
“Harapin ang AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council). Harapin ang mga numero. Harapin ang mga dokumento,” Ridon said.
“Kung may paliwanag, dalhin sa forum na may tanong, may record, at may pananagutan.”
He ended with a direct framing of the issue.
“Hindi mabubura ng wordplay ang dokumento. Hindi mababaluktot ng spin ang numero,” Ridon said.
