Palace ‘backs’ Trillanes claim Sara received Chinese funding

Malacañang appeared to back the disclosure of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV that Vice President Sara Duterte allegedly received money from the Chinese government, which Trillanes said raises national security concerns.

“Kung sapat ang ebidensya, hindi ito dapat isawalang bahala. 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 ay dahil natatapalan ng pera ang kanilang mga mata para talikuran ang pagmamahal sa sariling bayan at ibenta ang ating Kalayaan,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a Viber message to reporters on Friday.

Trillanes, in a press conference in San Juan on Friday, said Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio, received hundreds of millions of pesos from the Chinese government and Chinese corporations. He claimed that Cale88 Foods Corp., which he said is owned by Carpio, received more than P319 million in cash remittances and funding from China.

He also alleged that around P150 million was given by the Chinese Embassy to the Tapang at Malasakit Foundation, an organization linked to Duterte that was established to build classrooms.

“Walang paghuhusga sa ngayon ang administrasyon ngunit dapat malaman ito ng mga kababayan natin kung may sapat naman na ebidensya. 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!” Castro said.