Ombudsman urged to release Duterte’s SALNS

MANILA - House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. France Castro said that the appointment of former President Rodrigo Duterte as the asset caretaker of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy raises more doubts on the connections of the two and talk of money laundering issues between them.

"Sa esensya, si Duterte ay katulong sa pagkukubli na mapanagot ang isang taong hinahanap ng batas, at ang mga kaso ng taong ito sa US maging dito sa bansa ay di basta-basta (conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling dagdag pa na frozen na assets niya by the US Treasury Dept since Dec 2022 due to "serious human rights abuse, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, as well as other physical abuse)," Castro alleged.

"Whether mag take effect o matuloy man yung pagiging property caretaker niya o hindi, kaduda-duda pa rin na pinagkatiwalaan siya ni Quiboloy. at mas lalong dapat bantayan yung posibilidad na ituloy on the claim na "inability" ni Quiboloy. As it is, the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Network (SALN) of former Pres. Duterte has still not been released and we still do not know up till how big his assets have grown since he became president," she added.

Castro questioned the confidential funds at intelligence funds which Duterte had during his administration.

"Ilang bilyong confidential funds at intelligence funds ang dumaan sa kanya pero ni wala naman itong matinong accounting, tapos ngayon ay siya pa ang hahawak ng assets ni Quiboloy. Di tuloy natin masisi ang ating mga kababayan na isipin na may money laundering arrangement ang dalawa. To settle such talks we are urging the Office of the Ombudsman to release all the SALNS of former Pres. Duterte or at least from 2016-2022," she said. (Mindanao Examiner)