Palace wants closer look at ‘China money’ linked to VP husband’s firm

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday said former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s claim that a firm linked to Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband received more than P319 million from China should be not be taken lightly, if backed by sufficient evidence.

At a press conference, Trillanes said CALE88 Foods Corp., a food company partly owned by Atty. Mans Carpio, received hundreds of millions of pesos from China, which he said raised serious national security concerns.

READ: Trillanes links P319-M China funds to Sara Duterte husband’s firm

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“Dapat kilabutan po tayo dito… Bawal po iyan. Bawal tumanggap from a foreign government, especially high-ranking official ang vice president,” he said. 

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(We should be alarmed by this… This is not allowed. It is prohibited to accept [money] from a foreign government, especially for a high-ranking official like the vice president.)

“Kapag hindi pa ba impeachable iyan, ewan ko nalang. Nagbubulag-bulagan tayo,” Trillanes added.

(If that’s not grounds for impeachment, then I don’t know what is. We’re turning a blind eye.)

In a statement sent to reporters, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the allegation, if proven true, may explain why some officials are tight-lipped when China harrases the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.

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“Kung sapat ang ebidensya, hindi ito dapat isawalang bahala,” Castro said.

(If there is sufficient evidence, this should not be ignored.)

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“Maituturing na pagtataksil sa bayan ang mga Filipino lalo na kung sila ay mga public official na kaya pala tahimik sa mga karahasang natatanggap ng iba nating mangingisda sa kamay ng mga dayuhan at ang iba naman ay handang ipamigay ang parte ng ating teritoryo o karapatan sa WPS [West Philippine Sea] ay dahil natatapalan ng pera ang kanilang mga mata para talikuran ang pagmamahal sa sariling bayan at ibenta ang ating kalayaan,” Castro said.

(It could be considered an act of betrayal of the country when Filipinos, especially public officials, remain silent about the violence being inflicted on some of our fishermen by foreign forces, while others are willing to give away parts of our territory or our rights in the West Philippine Sea because they have been blinded by money, causing them to turn their backs on their love for the country and sell our freedom.)

Castro stressed that the administration was not passing judgment at this point but said the public should be made aware of the allegations if sufficient evidence exists.

“Ang mga kumukunsinte sa ganitong gawain ay dapat na kalusin hindi bukas… kundi ngayon! Huwag natin hayaan ang ibang opisyal pa natin ang siyang dudurog sa sarili nating bansa. Gumising tayong lahat!” she said.

(Those who tolerate such acts should be dealt with—not tomorrow, but now! Let us not allow our own officials to be the ones who destroy our country. We must all wake up!)

In a press conference in San Juan City, Trillanes flagged what he described as red flags involving CALE88 Foods Corp.

Among the issues he cited were the company’s reportedly low electricity costs despite operating as a banana chip manufacturer, zero trade receivables and payables, and the absence of rank-and-file employees.

He also raised concern about the P319 million in cash remittances that he claimed CALE88 received from China.

He compared this with the P150 million donation that the Tapang at Malasakit Foundation, which lists Duterte as a member of its board of trustees, reportedly received from the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines.

The former senator was supposed to testify for the prosecution on Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which involves allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte has unexplained wealth and failed to declare assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, however, told the impeachment court on Thursday that the prosecution would no longer present Trillanes as a witness.

Trillanes later said in a Facebook post that he had asked Luistro to remove him from the witness list to relieve pressure on the prosecution panel.

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He said he would instead disclose during Friday’s press briefing what he had intended to present before the impeachment court. /gsg