LIBERAL Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II challenged Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to be truthful and reveal the contents of his bank accounts following the statement of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that the frontrunner in the presidential surveys has P211 million in undeclared wealth.
Roxas told a news conference yesterday that Duterte should explain these bank accounts, which Trillanes alleged were not disclosed in the Davao mayor’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN).
“Ang pinaghuhugotan ng kapangyarihan ng lahat ng liderato ay tiwala. Papaano magtitiwala ang ating kababayan kung hindi malinaw ang iyong sagot sa mga malinaw na katanungan? (The main source of power of any leader is trust. How will the Filipinos trust you if you don’t give clear answers to clear questions)?” Roxas said.
Roxas reminded Duterte that he and his running mate Sen. Alan Cayetano signed a statement-manifesto that they were willing to open their bank accounts and had even dared other candidates to do the same.
“Totoo ba ang bank accounts na ito? Totoo ba na nanggaling ang pera sa mga bank accounts na ito? Bakit hindi ito nakasama sa iyong SALN? (Are these bank accounts real? Is it true that the money came from these bank accounts? Why were these not included in your SALN?)” he asked.
Roxas noted that Duterte does not keep his word, citing his challenge for the mayor to withdraw his candidacy should Roxas present proof that PhilHealth had beneficiaries in Davao City.
“Ang tinatakbohan po nating posisyon ay presidente ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Ang pinanghahawakan natin ay tiwala. Paano natin papanatilihin yung pagkakaisa ng isang buong bansa kung pabago-bago ka sa iyong sinasabi? (We are running for President of the Republic of the Philippines. What we are holding on is trust.
How can we continue uniting the country if we keep on changing what we are saying?)” he said.
Roxas stressed that in the 20 years he was in government, his SALN was never questioned.
Asked if he would call for an investigation, Roxas said there were others who could do that.
He cited the case of former Chief Justice Renato Corona who, after an investigation, was removed from the High Tribunal for lying in his SALN.