Duterte: Trillanes knows I'm about to expose him

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 13, 2017) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said it is only a matter of time before he reveals the real bank records of Senator Antonio Trillanes.

He said Trillanes, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, is aware of this.

"Alam ko na kakagat siya. Eh nandiyan narin, malapit na sa totoo. Nakikita niya yung numero, malapit na eh. It was just a matter of number of 1. Kaya alam niya na papunta na ako doon," Duterte told reporters in Davao City.

[Translation: "I know he'll take the bait. It's already there, close to reality. He saw the numbers. It was just a matter of number 1. So he knows I'm going there."]

Duterte earlier admitted he intentionally changed a couple of numbers when he announced the senator's supposed bank account in Singapore, to throw off Trillanes.

He also said the senator has several bank accounts in Singapore, Shanghai, China; Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The money, Duterte said, came from leading backchannel dialogue with China over the South China Sea dispute.

"Sinabi ko, well in advance, that 'yung mga deposito, I will reveal it. Hintay lang kayo. And the names of the partners, I will reveal it. 'Yung mga account niya kung saan-saan," the President added.

(Translation: "I said, well in advance, that I will reveal the deposits. Just you wait. And the names of the partners, I will reveal it, including his accounts.")

The senator flew to Singapore last Tuesday to prove the alleged offshore accounts did not exist, as verified by a bank teller in DBS Bank Alexandra Branch. He also noted his accounts in other banks were nonexistent.

He has issued a dozen waivers on September 11, which will allow authorities to probe into the alleged bank accounts.

Duterte, however, said these are practically useless if Trillanes' Chinese co-signers do not sign the waivers themselves.

Duterte's allegation was in response to Trillanes' accusation during the campaign period that the then presidential candidate funneled billions of pesos in several accounts in the country.