Adiong: VP Duterte’s best defense would’ve been to state wealth in SALN

MANILA, Philippines — The best defense that Vice President Sara Duterte could have come up for the unexplained wealth allegations against her was to declare all assets and business interests in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong claimed on Thursday.

In a press briefing at the Batasang Pambansa complex, Alonto Adiong — who is one of the prosecution panel’s spokespersons — reminded Duterte that the government is not her property, and that she was merely elected by the people who trusted her to use these funds properly.

As such, the lawmaker said Duterte should explain during her impeachment trial how she was able to acquire her wealth — although it might be already late since Alonto Adiong believes the best defense was to place these figures in the SALN.

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READ: VP Duterte’s total unexplained wealth at P817.87M – witness’ report 

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“Again, the question is, (can) this amount (be) ordinarily received by ordinary Filipinos?  No […] can this be defended?  It should have been defended by way of declaring it in her SALN.  But since she did not declare it in her SALN, according to the law, there is really an assumption that this is not acquired legally,” Alonto Adiong said at the end of his presentation meant to refresh the public.

“Babalikan ko po, bakit po natin ginagawa ito?  Dahil ang gobyerno ay hindi pag-aari ng mga halal na official.  Ito po itiwala na binibigay sa atin, at ang tiwalang ito ay dapat masuklian ng explanation,” he added.

(I will go back to the reason why we do this.  It is because the government is not owned by elected officials.  Public office is a public trust, and this trust should be repaid by providing an explanation.)

READ: Luistro: Things might be different if Duterte showed interest in trial 

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According to Alonto Adiong, Duterte has to provide an explanation to counter the analysis of financial forensic expert Atty. Alexander Cabrera, who testified early October about Duterte failing to declare over P817 million in her SALN.

The lawmaker noted that even if Duterte’s other business interests were taken out of the equation, the vice president still failed to declare at least P463 million.

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“Ang nais lang po namin ay resibo.  Madam Vice President, saan po nang galing itong mga income na ito na hindi niyo po nai-deklara sa inyong SALN?  Saan po nanggaling ito, at papaano po kayo naka-accumulate ng ganitong halagang pera?” he asked.

(What we want is a receipt.  Madam Vice President, where did your income come from and why have you not declared it in your SALN?  Where did this come from, and how were you able to accumulate a huge amount of money?)

“Kung hindi po tayo natatakot at hindi ho siya natatakot na ma-explain ito, ay dapat sana nai-declare na po nya sa kanyang SALN.  Pero umabot na po tayo sa puntong ito, at ngayon kinakailangan pong i-remind ang vice president, hindi po natin pag-aari ang gobyerno, pag-aari po ito ng taumbayan, dahil tiwala po ang pagluklok sa iyo d’yan.  Susuklian mo ito ng explanation,” he added.

(If you are not scared and you have no qualms about explaining this, you should have done this in your SALN.  But we have reached this point, and now we have to remind the vice president, we don’t own the government, it is the people who owns it, because it is through their trust that you are elected.  Repay it with an explanation.)

The prosecution panel originally listed four charges in its Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, but last October 13 — before trial adjourned for a break — lead public prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro manifested before open court that they are withdrawing three of four articles, leaving Article II as the lone case.

Article II deals with allegations that Duterte has unexplained wealth, and that she did not declare it in her SALN.  The dropped articles are Article I or the alleged confidential fund misuse in Duterte’s offices; Article III or the vice president’s supposed bribery of Department of Education officials; and Article IV or her grave threats against ranking officials.

Several members of the prosecution panel have admitted that dropping three articles is a big risk, as the case against Duterte will live and die by the lone article.  However, Alonto Adiong’s fellow spokesperson, former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said that it is an indication of how confident they are with the evidence they were able to present.

If Duterte is convicted based on Article II, or the allegation that she has unexplained wealth and that these were not declared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, she will be removed from office.

Aside from removal from public office, the charges against Duterte carry another penalty if she is convicted — perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

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The trial is slated to resume by November 9, during which the defense panel would have its chance to present their evidence and witnesses to counter the allegations under Article II. /mr