Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said that he has ordered the Anti-Money Laundering Academy (AMCL) to probe into his wealth and release information of his net worth. Duterte issued the order in response to Senator Antonio Trillanes' challenge to the leader of opening his bank accounts and proving he did not have billions of pesos in deposit.
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Trillanes, on Thursday, had told the media that he had information that the Philippines president and his family had multiple bank accounts with total deposits worth 2 billion pesos. The senator also said that he would resign if he was proven wrong by Duterte.
Duterte, in turn, extended the challenge saying that he would resign from his presidential post if Senator Trillanes IV can prove that he had around $40.06 million worth of bank deposits at one time in his accounts, according to media reports.
"If Trillanes can prove his allegation that I have amassed pesos illegally or if that bank account under my name has a total deposit at one time of even just half a billion, I will resign as president immediately," Duterte said in a taped video, released Thursday night.
Duterte made the statement about the AMCL probe while addressing the members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1967 on Friday evening at the Baguio Country Club.
"I've ordered AMLC and everybody to give information (on) what's my worth in this, in terms of pesos in this planet...so hindi ko kayo hiyain [I will not put you to shame]," Duterte said, referring to his adoptive membership of PMA Class '67, according to CNN reports.
Alluding to the military academy's adherence to integrity, Duterte said that the accusation against him was "a matter of principle and honour." Duterte also said that neither he nor his family has ever been involved in corruption.
The Philippine president said that he does not even avail of his allowances as the country's leader, aside from his salary. Duterte added that "it will be so until the end" of his term.
The president said that he was unfazed by the allegations as he had already answered questions related to it when he became president. Duterte was referring to another allegation made by Trillanes during the presidential campaign period last year that he had illicit bank deposits at a branch of the Bank of the Philippine Islands.
He said he had already answered the allegations before he became president, referring to the bank deposits that he supposedly had at a branch of the Bank of the Philippine Islands that Trillanes alleged during the campaign period.
Duterte also said that 16 million people of the country voted for him during the presidential elections last year and put him at the top position despite the corruption allegations.
