A lawmaker has suggested that the multi-billion peso bank transactions linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her family could provide answers regarding the funding of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal defense and frequent travels to The Hague.
La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega raised the issue on Monday, questioning the source of the funds used to sustain the former president’s needs while facing the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Simple lang daw ang pamumuhay nila. Pero ang tanong ng marami: paano natutustusan ang napakalaking gastos sa ICC case ng dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte?”
Ortega pointed to data surfaced during an impeachment hearing on April 22, citing records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The report allegedly detailed 633 suspicious and covered transactions involving accounts tied to the Vice President and her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio, totaling approximately ₱6.8 billion.
“Kahit paano, may ideya na ang publiko batay sa mga datos na lumalabas sa impeachment hearing, gaya ng bilyon-bilyong transaksyon sa bangko,” the representative noted.
He emphasized that the high costs associated with international litigation and repeated trips to the Netherlands seem inconsistent with the “simple lifestyle” the Dutertes claim to lead.
“Kung simple ang pinanggalingan at malinaw ang idineklarang yaman, natural lang na magtanong ang publiko kung paano natutustusan ang ganitong kalaking gastusin. May gastos din sa biyahe, tirahan at paulit-ulit na pagpunta sa The Netherlands. Hindi ito maliit na halaga,” Ortega added.
While Ortega clarified that he is not making direct accusations, he insisted that the massive figures appearing in official records warrant a transparent explanation.
“These figures are already on record. When taken together, they raise a legitimate question. A clear explanation will settle it. Saan nanggagaling ang pondo?”