Prosecution: Chinese funds linked to Duterte go beyond impeachment issue

MANILA — Members of the House prosecution panel believe the issue surrounding the suspicious transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) goes beyond the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

This comes after Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros revealed that the businesses that remitted money to a Duterte-linked corporation are allegedly Chinese state-owned entities, based on her investigation.

For members of the prosecution panel, this raises potential national security concerns.

“Nag-elevate na ito hindi lang sa issue ng impeachment and non-disclosure sa SALN… This warrants an issue of national security kasi pumapasok na yung mga ganitong unexplained financial activity,” said House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Tuesday, in a press briefing after the trial session.

House trial adviser Ace Barbers added further investigation is needed as to what these funds are exactly for, especially amid the worsening territorial dispute in West Philippine Sea. 

“Is this a destabilization funding? Is this a bayad para tumahimik dun sa usapin ng West Philippine Sea ang ating Pangalawang Pangulo?” Barbers also said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

“Nakakabahala no, kasi bakit po may influx ng pera galing po sa mga, in this case, galing sa China, galing po sa mga state-owned na mga iba’t ibang kumpanya at korporasyon?” Deputy House Speaker Rep. Paolo Ortega added.

AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified during the impeachment trial that Cale88 Foods Corporation, a company in which Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio, had a business interest, received P319.33 million in inward remittances from mainland China and Hong Kong.

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes earlier claimed in a press conference that the Duterte family allegedly received money from China. 

In a statement on Tuesday however, Vice President Duterte’s camp rejected the claim that the witness from the AMLC “confirmed” the allegations of Trillanes.

“If anything was confirmed, it is only that Trillanes obtained his information illegally in violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act and Bank Secrecy Laws,” VP spokesperson Atty. Paolo Panelo added.

Meanwhile, the National Security Council said it will look into potential national security implications of millions of pesos reportedly remitted from China to Cale88 Food Corp.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. also said that the reported financial flows posed serious national security implications, and stressed that proper attention should be given to the issue.