Negrense Senate Candidate Defends Duterte

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Negrense senatorial candidate Atty. Jayvee Hinlo defended former President Rodrigo Duterte from criticisms by former Senator Antonio Trillanes.

Hinlo, part of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial lineup for the 2025 midterm elections, addressed the issue during a press conference Tuesday.

He described Trillanes as one of the “desperate critics” of the former president.

Hinlo said Trillanes has long alleged that Duterte and his family benefitted from illegal drug money, citing supposed bank accounts linked to the former president and his relatives.

“Definitely, the desperate critics of FPRRD [former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] know that any presented bank documents are inadmissible as evidence unless permitted in writing by the depositor,” Hinlo said.

He added that this is why critics continue to demand that Duterte issue a waiver to open his bank accounts.

“Without doubt, FPRRD’s critics want to legally and politically pin down FPRRD with bare allegations and the demand for FPRRD to open his bank accounts,” Hinlo stressed.

He argued that such demands amount to harassment and violate Duterte’s rights under Republic Act No. 1405, also known as the Bank Secrecy Law.

“If FPRRD’s critics want to be champions of good governance, they should apply their demand not only to FPRRD but to all public officials, starting with the President, for all of them to open their bank accounts to public scrutiny,” Hinlo said.

He questioned why critics focus solely on Duterte, pointing out that Article III, Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution guarantees equal protection of the laws.

Hinlo suggested that if critics disagree with the Bank Secrecy Law, they should push for its amendment. He said such changes could allow the Ombudsman to examine the bank accounts of public officials under investigation for graft and corruption, provided the amendment is applied prospectively.

“Presently, it is within the legal right of FPRRD to continue to keep his bank accounts private,” Hinlo concluded.