DAVAO CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte defended her integrity against allegations raised by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV before the House Justice Committee, insisting her service record is clean and she has never faced a case involving misuse of public funds.
“Malinis ang aking service record. Hindi ako kailanman nagkaroon ng kaso sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan,” Duterte said, adding that she declared all her assets and money in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth from legitimate sources and is supported by documentation.
The Vice President pointed out that the real thieves did not deposit the large amount of money they obtained, but took it in suitcases.
Duterte dismissed Trillanes’ allegations as a narrative she said has remained unchanged for nearly a decade, claiming the story about alleged billions in bank accounts has been repeated from 2016 to 2026.
She argued that what has changed is the political machinery backing the accusations.
The Vice President also questioned the timing of the allegations, saying they began after she left the Cabinet and refused to sign a national budget she claimed she could not defend to the public.
Duterte further accused newly installed officials of the Anti-Money Laundering Council of remaining silent and failing to clarify that there have been no findings of violations of anti-money laundering laws, and that claims of billions of pesos in bank accounts are untrue.
She also criticized what she described as the use of government institutions for political attacks. She asked where accountability lies for alleged irregularities in flood control projects and other national issues, including rising prices, poverty, peace efforts in Mindanao, the direction of foreign policy, and crime.
Duterte urged the public not to be misled by the impeachment proceedings, saying the real fight is for the welfare of Filipinos facing intensifying daily challenges. (By Ivy Tejano)
