MANILA, Philippines — The 11th hearing of the quad committee of the House of Representatives showed a different side of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who refrained from uttering profanities for the entirety of the proceedings lasting nine hours.
However, in a rare display of temper, Duterte grabbed his microphone last night in an attempt to throw it at former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who was two seats to his left, with former senator Leila de Lima sitting between them.
“What is it in exchange for? Can I slap him now?” Duterte asked officials of the quad committee, after he was asked if he could sign a bank waiver, as he had promised, to open all the bank accounts he had jointly with his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who attended the hearing.
Lawyers of Duterte, among them Martin Delgra III and former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and former labor secretary Silvestre Bello III, tried to appease their former boss, while the rest prevented Duterte from getting to Trillanes.
“I’ll sign the waiver tomorrow (Thursday),” Duterte originally offered, but Trillanes doubted his sincerity, describing it as a “bluff” on the basis that he already did it way back in 2016, but that his former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo only brought a special power of attorney (SPA) and not a bank waiver.
“It was an SPA with specific conditions. Duterte didn’t go there, it was only Panelo,” the former senator recalled the episode in a bank in Julia Vargas Street in Pasig City, which holds most of the Duterte accounts.
“This (bank records of deposits of managers’ checks) is the smoking gun of his involvement in the drug business,” Trillanes declared.
The issue delved on the exposé of former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban and Customs broker Mark Taguba, along with police colonel Eduardo Acierto, that Duterte’s congressman-son Paolo, his son-in-law Mans Carpio and Chinese businessman Michael Yang were involved in drugs.
“I’m willing to execute an affidavit, to summon the bank pursuant to my waiver. If there is an iota of truth, I will ask my daughter to resign and all members of my family. I will also hang myself in front of you. But Trillanes should also hang himself, too,” Duterte said.
As the hearing was suspended for a short while, temporary presiding officer House Deputy Speaker David Suarez reminded everyone to “observe proper decorum.”
Duterte apologized after the incident, to which Suarez replied: “Thank you very much for the apology.” Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. also moved to “strike out” the word “sampal (slap)” that the former leader uttered.
Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur’s 1st district asked De Lima, who was seated between Duterte and Trillanes, if she wanted to be transferred to another seat.
“I’m not comfortable but I will stay here,” De Lima told Adiong.
Duterte also acted playfully at one time, raising his elbow as if about to elbow De Lima.
He made the gesture when De Lima said Duterte’s claims that she was the “mother of all drug lords” were “absolutely false.” – Delon Porcalla