Online users revived a 2016 post by Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano about an “open bank accounts” challenge after he opposed the issuance of subpoenas for Vice President Sara Duterte‘s financial records in connection with impeachment complaints against her.
READ: Prosecutors win subpoenas for VP Sara’s financial records in impeachment case
The senator-judge on Monday, July 20, said he would submit in written opposition to the issuance of subpoenas for Duterte’s bank records as the impeachment court tackles allegations of undeclared or unexplained wealth under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.
Cayetano said that Senators Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar would join the objection letter.
Some Filipinos, who learned of Cayetano’s position revived a decade-old Facebook post in which he took part in an “open bank accounts” challenge during the 2016 election campaign, when he ran for vice president alongside then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Rodrigo went on to win the presidency, while Cayetano lost the vice presidential race to Leni Robredo, now the mayor of Naga City.
In March 2016, Rodrigo and Cayetano signed a manifesto allowing their bank accounts to be scrutinized by the public. They also urged their rivals to do the same in the interest of transparency.
The challenge came in response to then-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s allegations that Rodrigo failed to declare P227 million in a bank account the at a BPI branch in Pasig City.
Trillanes said the account contradicted Rodrigo’s claim that he was a poor man.
Rodrigo and his allies responded by saying that he had signed a “waiver” allowing his bank accounts to be opened for scrutiny.
“Pumirma na kami ni Mayor Duterte ng waiver. Lahat ng gusto maging Pangulo o VP ay dapat maging transparent sa taong bayan,” Cayetano said in a Facebook post dated March 15, 2016.
Cayetano’s post was revived by some Filipinos following his stance on Sara’s bank accounts in relation to impeachment complaints against her.
“Sinabi mo ‘to?” a Facebook user asked on Tuesday, July 21.
“Aged like fine milk,” another commented on the same day.
“Ano na, Peter?” a different Pinoy asked.
“‘Yun naman pala, i-open na ‘yan,” another said.
“Hahahahha, ano na?” a different Pinoy commented.
Meanwhile, the Senate impeachment court on Monday granted the House prosecution’s request to subpoena bank, tax and Anti-Money Laundering Council records of Sara and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
The ruling came after hours of interpellation on whether the court could compel the production of the couple’s financial records as part of the trial on the vice president’s alleged unexplained wealth.
Sara is facing an impeachment trial over allegations that include grave threats and inciting to sedition, the alleged misuse of public funds and alleged unexplained wealth.
If convicted, she will be removed from her office and disqualified from holding any public office. — with reports from Philstar.com/Cristina Chi and Ian Laqui
