Joint account of Sara, Rodrigo Duterte paid P16-M to Sammy Uy with manager's check -- witness

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A joint bank account under the name of Vice President Sara Duterte and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, was used to purchase a P16-million manager's check for businessman Sammy Uy, a bank official said Wednesday.

Prosecution witness Marwin Galvez, division head for central Manila branches of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), testified on the matter on Day 35 of the impeachment trial of the vice president.

"Based on the records, we submitted your honor, the payee (beneficiary) po ng manager's check number 20536 dated May 30, 2016 is Samuel C. Uy," Galvez said.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a longtime critic of the Duterte family, has accused Sammy Uy of being a drug lord.

Trillanes had also previously alleged that the Duterte family, including the vice president, received P181 million from Sammy Uy.

READ: Who is Sammy Uy?

Galvez also testified that two sets of time deposits under the names of the vice president and former president Duterte amounting to P41 million and P55 million were later used to purchase a manager's check worth P96 million. The elder Duterte was then listed as the payee for P41 million.

Upon inquiry of Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis Escudero, the BPI official said the amount in the purchase from the bank through a manager's check is not reflected in the ending balance of the account holder because it will be entered into the settlement account of the bank.

"Can the funds [stated in manager's check] be in limbo?" Escudero asked.

The BPI official replied, "Correct. Hangga't hindi po ibinabalik sa amin ng purchaser [ng manager's check [yung cheke], or in the case po of the payee, 'yung original [check], hindi po siya bumabalik sa account po ng bumili po."

(Unless the purchaser of the manager's check or the payee returns the manager's check to us, that will not reflect under the account of the purchaser of the manager's check.)

Senator judge Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV expressed surprise that such "scheme" is allowed given that it will allow an account holder to purchase a manager's check to prevent that amount from being reflected in the ending balance of the account holder.

Galvez said it was not uncommon.

Senator judge Panfilo Lacson's observation was more pointed.

"Without pre-empting the prosecution panel, may I venture. You (prosecution) are trying to establish a pattern and proving concealment," Lacson said.

Private prosecutor James Alih answered in the affirmative.

Defense counsel Michael Poa later argued said the vice president's signature was not seen in the application for manager's checks, and that he was told by his client that she was not aware of such transactions.

Asked by Senator-judge Hontiveros if that means that the vice president is putting the responsibility to her father, Poa said the vice president's point is limited to her being unaware of such manager's check purchases.

"Hindi po niya natatandaan... Wala siya naging participation (She does not remember... She has no participation in this)," Poa said. — VDV, GMA News