Sara Duterte raises concern over Marcos' remark on national security threat

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s remark that the alleged receipt of funds from China by a company linked to Vice President Sara Duterte posed a national security threat is cause for concern for Filipino businesses dealing with the country, Duterte said on Monday.

Sought for comment on the issue raised during Duterte's impeachment trial, Marcos said the alleged receipt of funds from China by a company linked to the Vice President could pose a national security threat “at the highest level” if proven true.

“Nakakabahala ito dahil parang sinasabi niya na yung mga nag-nenegosyo na merong trade sa China ay threat din sa bansa, so napakarami nung mga negosyo na yung mga export nila or import nila ay galing sa China,” Duterte told reporters.

(This is concerning because it seems to suggest that businesses engaged in trade with China also pose a threat to the country. There are so many such businesses whose exports or imports come from China.)

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified last week that Cale88 Foods Corporation, a company linked to Vice President Sara Duterte’s husband, lawyer Mans Carpio, received P319 million from China and Hong Kong.

Buenaventura, a witness presented by the House prosecution panel, said this when asked about the total amount of the remittances from China to Cale88, based on the covered transaction reports (CTR) and suspicious transaction reports (STR).

“Ang kabuuang halaga po, Your Honor, ‘yung aggregate amount…ang naka-indicate sa aming tabular summary ay P319,326,770.41 po, Your Honor. Based on our tabular summary record,” Buenaventura answered.

(The total amount, Your Honor, the aggregate amount…indicated in our tabular summary is P319,326,770.41, Your Honor. That’s based on our tabular summary record.)

Duterte said Marcos’ remarks could be interpreted as implying that he considers the Vice President a threat to the country.

“Nakakabahal ito na manggagaling yung ganyang pahayag mula kay BBM dahil parang inanim naman na rin niya na mula nung 2023 na itinuring nila akong threat,” Duterte said.

(This is concerning because such a statement is coming from Marcos, because it seems taht he admitted they have considered me a threat since 2023.)

“Nakakabahala ito dahil sinasabi niya na ang vice president ay isang threat sa bansa,” she added.

(This is concerning because he is saying that the vice president is a threat to the country.)

On Sunday, Marcos said, "The most disturbing aspect of it is the Chinese money that now rises to a national security issue, kung totoo (if it is true). If it is true, it is a national security issue."

The alleged financial transactions were raised during the impeachment court proceedings on Article II of the complaint, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, among other allegations.

Of the amount, it was indicated in the table presented that P315.93 million came from Mainland China, while P3.39 million was from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.

In response, Duterte questioned the allegations and asked if doing business with China is prohibited.

"So ano ba talaga? Bawal ba talaga amg negosyo with China kasi it is a national security risk. Parang nakakahiya na nga yung drug haul na papuntang Pilipinas galing sa Laos and Thailand, tapos eto pa tayo na nagsasabing na naku, it’s a national security risk na mag-negosyo with China. Nagiging troublemaker of Southeast Asia tayo," Duterte said.

(So what is it, then? Is doing business with China really prohibited because it poses a national security risk? It’s already embarrassing that we have a drug shipment bound for the Philippines from Laos and Thailand, and now we’re saying that doing business with China is a national security risk. We’re becoming the troublemaker of Southeast Asia.) –NB, GMA News