Former President Rodrigo Duterte left lawmakers confused during a House quad committee hearing on Wednesday with his conflicting statements about signing a bank waiver.
The waiver pertains to an alleged P2.4 billion deposit linked to illegal drug activities.
House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur sought clarification on Duterte’s willingness to sign the waiver, pointing out contradictions in his responses.
Adiong asked if it could be assumed that Duterte’s willingness to sign the waiver was conditional.
Adiong said he initially understood Duterte’s response to Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop’s question as a commitment to provide the waiver.
Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro also noticed the inconsistencies, despite Duterte being sworn in to tell the truth during the hearing.
At first, Duterte said he would sign the waiver the next day, November 14.
“I’m willing to execute an affidavit, to summon the bank pursuant to my waiver,” Duterte declared. He even stated he would ask his family members to resign if there was any truth to the allegations and vowed to hang himself if proven guilty.
However, he later added that former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who exposed the alleged P2.4 billion joint account between Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte, should hang himself too.
Duterte questioned the purpose of the bank waiver request, asserting that he was not under investigation.
He explained that the account in question is a joint account with his wife, and he could not unilaterally waive her right to secrecy.
“I have no problem with that,” Duterte said, “but I have to ask my wife if she is ready to waive the bank secrecy law.”
Duterte expressed concern over the motives behind the inquiry, questioning why his bank account details were being sought if he was not under investigation.
He offered to show a copy of the account records to lawmakers privately but emphasized that the joint account involved his wife.
Trillanes, however, refuted Duterte’s claims, stating that the joint account records indicated Vice President Sara Duterte, not Duterte’s wife, as the co-account holder.
Trillanes accused Duterte of bluffing about signing the waiver, adding that Duterte suggested slapping him first before signing it.
“Just for the record, the joint account is between Duterte and VP Sara Duterte – not the wife. Those are the bank records that are in our custody,” the senator said.
“Just like what I anticipated earlier that he’s been saying he is willing to sign a waiver. At the same time, it’s always a bluff. Now, he’s saying he will slap me first before he signs the waiver. I will agree, provided he should first sign the bank waiver,” added Trillanes.