We are now just less than a week from the Philippine Presidential elections and the fever amongst the electorate has reached temperatures as high as the heatwave currently plaguing the nation. Passions from different camps flare in all directions, making even the most civilized and educated amongst us act like crazy sports fanatics cheering for their team and defending them to the hilt. The frontrunner, Presidential candidate Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has swept the nation like a tsunami. He is widely expected to win the Presidency next week and his rivals and critics have been throwing mud as well as the proverbial kitchen sink at him in acts of desperation hoping to pull Duterte down as they approach the finish line.
In the Philippines, politicians with lots of money and properties are usually frowned upon. There is a presumption that such riches are ill-gotten as the salaries of politicians are meager. Although it is quite illogical to automatically make the jump from riches to corruption, I can’t really blame the Filipino people for falling into the Non sequitur fallacy. The Philippines has been plagued by corruption for a long time and it has always been considered as one of the most corrupt countries in the world outside of war ravaged lawless third world countries with totalitarian regimes like in certain African nations. In fact, even under the rule of the current administration headed by President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) who many have believed to be an honest and incorruptible leader, the Philippines was perceived to have become more corrupt by global watchdogs such as Transparency International. The people have become angry and fed up with the politicians ruling the country. Genuine change has become the most important issue in this election. Platform of governance and specific economic recovery roadmaps have taken a backseat behind voter frustration and anger. This has paved the way for the rise of Asia’s political Donald Trump – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Last week, one of the perpetual bottom dwellers in in the polls, Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, has released a couple of bombshells in hopes of pulling down Duterte. Trillanes alleges that Duterte has hundreds of millions in the bank (even up to Php2.4 Billion in bank transactions) as well as 41 properties under his and his family’s name. This is a classic yellow attack job just like what was used against former CJ Corona. In Corona’s case, the yellow mob, through the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit, made it appear that Corona has illegally amassed an obscene amount in US dollars throughout nine years. But instead of basing their claim on Corona’s balance, they based it on “bank transactions”. This means that they added all the debit and credit entries for each of the transactions Corona made throughout 9 years. (e.g. A deposit of Php500 and a withdrawal of Php500 would make you have Php1,000 in the bank, as per the government’s calculations.) This is exactly how Trillanes is making it appear that Duterte is a billionaire crook. Trillanes is feeding the public the thought that Duterte, with the meager salary of a City Mayor, could not have accumulated billions of pesos – hence, Duterte must be corrupt. In Corona’s case, it turned out to be Corona’s savings when he was still a private lawyer, proceeds of sales of property that was part of the inheritance of his wife, and the savings of her daughters and son commingled with his account in order to command a higher interest rate. But the yellow mob is not exactly known for playing fair and honest. The name of the game for them is to poison the well and condition the minds of the people into believing their propaganda. Duterte appears to be being attacked in a very similar fashion.
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With regards to the 41 properties Trillanes alleged Duterte to have, we may recall how the yellow mob did a number on CJ Corona. The Land Registration Authority, claimed that their records show that Corona had 45 real estate properties. It turned out that most of these 45 properties were not in Corona’s name but either in a namesake’s name or which the Corona had already sold long before. Corona, it turned out, only actually owned just five properties! In a similar fashion, Trillanes alleges that Duterte owns 41 properties but it is turning out to be another smear. In one of the alleged properties, Trillanes included the property of a person not related to Presidential candidate Duterte. It turns out that a person named Gian Paulo Duterte, who is a dentist in Cagayan De Oro, owns the said property. In addition, the Land Registration Authority confirmed that four of the properties had been sold to new owners yet Trillanes still included these in his count.
Trillanes, in his desperate attempt to make candidate Duterte and his family look excessively rich, was so quick to announce to the media his large count for candidate Duterte’s properties that he failed to realize that he just gave his case a big blow. If he were to file a case against Duterte in a Court of Law, bringing all his evidence and allegations with him, his testimony would be weakened by the legal maxim Falsus in Uno, Falsus in Omnibus. So if Trillanes lied about Duterte’s alleged Php211 million pesos (or even billions of pesos) or his 41 properties, could he also be lying about the rest of his allegations against him? The credibility of Trillanes, as an accuser in this case, can rightfully be doubted. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago (another Presidential aspirant in this year’s elections) said during the Corona impeachment trial:
“Once the court is convinced that one panel has been foisting a fake document on the court, the court will then justify indulging the disputable presumption that if one panel has been lying on one particular, then he has been lying on all particulars and will have to disbelieve everything that the panel offers in evidence.”
But of course all these principles are not important to yellow attack dogs such as Trillanes. Never mind how evidence for their allegations were obtained (violating Bank secrecy law), the smear has now been presented in the court of public opinion. Again, very much like how PNoy and his minions have smeared the late former Chief Justice of the Philippines Renato Corona during his impeachment back in 2012, Trillanes has poisoned the well with his allegations and has shifted the burden of proof to the accused (a special form of the logical fallacy that appeals to ignorance).
Last week at a rally in Daet, Camarines Norte, Duterte showed a bank statement from the bank where Trillanes accused him of having some Php211 million. The bank statement revealed that Duterte only has Php27,000, contrary to the millions he was alleged to have. As mentioned previously, the 41 properties alleged by Trillanes is also not accurate. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (the bank where Duterte was supposed to have hundreds of millions of pesos and billions in “bank transactions”), through its representative Jose Teodoro Limcaoco, issued a statement:
“I don’t know where Sen. Trillanes got his information, but the graphic posted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer showing alleged credits, that is not a BPI document.”
So as it stands, these are the relevant facts:
1. Duterte having hundreds of millions (even billions) in the bank is merely an allegation or accusation at this point.
2. The claim by Trillanes of Duterte owning 41 properties is inaccurate.
3. BPI has stated that the evidence presented by Trillanes is not a BPI document.
4. Corruption is a crime in the Philippines.
5. In criminal cases, the burden of proof is on the accuser (or the prosecution), and they must establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt. (So technically speaking, Duterte doesn’t have anything to do and he doesn’t have to make his detractors’ fishing expedition easy for them.)
6. Falsus in Uno, Falsus in Omnibus is a legal maxim used to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration
Any conclusions based on the facts given are premature at this point, have no legal weight, and are merely noise.
Would the facts enumerated bring sanity and level-headedness amongst the political camps in the Philippines? Would these facts convince the anti-Duterte folks to take a pause on their smear drive to let the legal process take place, ensuring that if Duterte is indeed a crook as they allege him to be, he will be accountable to his crimes and punished accordingly instead of merely being hanged in the media? I highly doubt it since it is also a fact that Duterte is looking more and more likely to be the next President of the Philippines (according to the polls with less than 1 week to go before the elections). Desperate times call for desperate measures and it appears that Duterte’s rivals, as well as Duterte’s critics, are getting desperate by the minute.
(Image taken from kami.com.ph)
Calling a spade, a spade…
Desperation indeed, they activate their little puppy dog Trillanes
I hope Trillanes and his not so secret friend Mar, stop sucking Libberal party’s dick.
Rex
Trillanes a NP, Mar Roxas a LP WTF is this a one party system like communist
NP = Cojuanco
LP = Aquino
gets?
NP is a party that belongs to Manny Villar & Cayetano & not the Cojuancos. Maybe you’re talking about the NPC.
About the Burden of Proof, I’ve heard a lot of Duterte detractors about this. “If he’s really innocent, it’s COMMON SENSE that he has nothing to hide and THUS have no qualms about opening his accounts”. Many commenters (specifically inquirer.net, apparently comment boxes are noisy there) are saying this, and even Grace Poe is speaking along these lines.
Random Filipino Citizen
The rules of election. If somebody bring issues against the other during election campaign. It is a demolition (example: Trillanes 221 million bintang)
trillanes promise if Duterte win he still continue the case.WTF ! he will unit the buwayas in senate. where he will going get the bribe money,his boss will join GMA.
he already showed the BPI bank statement as of date.. what proof do these people want? on the accusation of trillanes, duterte already instructed BPI to allow examination of his bank account IF trillanes will execute a sworn affidavit that he is accusing duterte of illegal wealth.. at least he could get back at trillanes if proven otherwise.
A bogus hero that he is, a puppet of Cojuangco and a paid attack dog of Aquino and Roxas. All that trash talks of Trillanes prove his being a damned and dirty liar.
Another historic event hovers on the Philippine soil that is the impending victory of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. He is the impersonated hopeless Filipinos. I hope that no one from his opponents dares to cheat him come May 9.The nation is vigilant enough. If cheating succeeded in the previous elections both local and national, but now at all levels and angles they are watched by a vigilant eye.
That is my biggest fear, a rigged election.
I would not put this above the current admin. They have done it before, so why not do it again. I don’t trust those damn machines.
Most likely the leaked voters data will be exploited to registered voters that will not be able to vote this coming elections.
There were many people who were not able to go back to their provinces due to lack of bus trips — one example is the Araneta bus terminal, wherein bus trips to Samar and Masbate were already “fully booked until May 10” since the last few weeks of April. This info is not well known to media, of course.
The leaked data will be used then (it contained biometrics info).
The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.
Trillanes! Pass your paper to the front! Finish or not finish!
Trillanes-ang pambansang tsismoso…Eto hindi tsismis..Duterte for a landslide win!
Idiot Philippine Media can analyze politics but cannot analyze Trillanes standing on his head without evidences.
PHILIPPINE MEDIA IS IDIOTING THE FILIPINOS WHEN FILIPINOS ARE ALREADY IDIOTS ! Well, my premise is wrong. Because Philippine Media is run by Filipinos.
Is there anyone out there side from Filipinos to analyze Trillanes, Philippine Politics and Bank Secrecy Laws? PLEEEEZE?
It is embarrassing and unfortunate circumstance to be a FILIPINO and living in the PHILIPPINES among FILIPINOS. Being a FILIPINO is bad enough.
1. Filipino Trillanes who is a lawmaker and a senator has come down to tsismis, gossip, fishing expedition and suggestive innuendoes. FILIPINOS TOOK A BITE OF IT !!! TOO BAD !!!
2. Filipino lawmaker senators are not investigating the sources of Trillanes that violates the Banking Secrecy Laws. OH, POOR FILIPINOS!
3. Filipinos cannot even know that if ever the allegation of Trillanes is true it is not acceptable in court of law because it is taken from illegal source that violates Bank Secrecy Laws
4. Since Filipinos are stupid enough, they will proceed and believe in TRILLANES.
IT IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE TO BE A FILIPINO. That is why Americans run the lives of 3,600,000 Filipinos and 500,000 TnTs in the U.S. because if Americans let these Filipinos run their lives they’d kill each other.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY Filipinos fake-and-forged their tourists documents so they can fly to their FORMER COLONISTS THAT THEY FOUGHT AGAINST so they can surrender and apply for RE-COLONIZATION so the FORMER COLONISTS can run their lives like heaven than run by liberated Filipinos like hell.
SO FILIPINOS! SURRENDER !!! APPLY FOR RE-COLONIZATION !!!
Trillanes is the “attack dog ” of Aquino and Roxas. He is a political opportunist, doing his YellowTard master’s instructions.
People should focus on Mar Roxas, who had stolen the missing Typhoon Yolanda Relief Funds.Mar Roxas is the Poster Boy of Incompetence… The attack by Trillanes, is a diversionary tactic by Aquino and Roxas. Mar Roxas has many issues, against him that he ignores to answer. The same as Aquino.
Mudslinging is part of Philippines politics. We just have to deal with it. Use your common sense to distinguish, between, the true and the false.
Even me, a common blogger, was smeared by YellowTard paid hacks and paid trolls. I am not running for any public office. I don’t know , why they are interested in smearing me.
They are just wasting their time…Mar Roxas and Aquino are two bumbling desperate people, who shoots anything that moves in the dark…
Meanwhile, Binay and Roxas already “patched up things” in Manila Cathedral…
Desperate times indeed.
I want to read some bits of your blog. Care to share some links?
The Aquinos are cheaters! Remeber Cory Aquino when they cheated Miriam Santiago in the presidential election and made Ramos win the election. Now it’s Abnoy who will be cheating Duterte! It’s a family of cheaters!
“This is a classic yellow attack job just like what was used against former CJ Corona.”
There lies a significant difference between the late former Chief Justice Corona and now Presidential Aspirant (or the apparent incoming President of the Republic of the Philippines), Mr. Duterte!
CJ Corona was NOT GIRLY about the allegations about him unlike Mr. Duterte!
Corona as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court being equal to the President didn’t use his position at the time he was being hurled with accusations of corruption. Whether it was a right or wrong decision for him is another matter but he did submitted himself to the impeachment trial!
Former CJ Corona said on his May 22, 2012 impeachment trial: “I will submit my waiver to authorities until all 189 have submitted waivers. If they don’t, I will ask my lawyers to rest my defense since nothing has been proven against me … I am no thief, I am no criminal, I have done no wrong. But dear senators, I am also no fool.”
But in a May 25 hearing, Corona said “I will not wait for the waiver of the 189. I’m submitting this without any conditions whatsoever.”
Corona was the FIRST TOP-RANKING PUBLIC OFFICIAL to sign a bank secrecy waiver and to issue the TRANSPARENCY CHALLENGE to Noynoy and other officials.
If thinking people take out the phrase “Noynoy and other officials”, the transparency challenge might as well be intended to all future officials, most especially to an incoming President who will implement the laws of the land!
In the BPI Julia Vargas Face-off, Duterte, represented by Atty. Panelo, and Trillanes agreed to a common challenge of a “waiver and affidavit tit-for-tat”. Trillanes even put at stake his withdrawal as VP candidate and even his resignation as Senator ON-THE-SPOT if proven wrong. It’s COMMON SENSE that Duterte has the power to make it happen right there and then.
And as we know it the affidavit was honored but still no waiver! Duterte has even succeeded in making BPI delay any release for seven days of any statements. By then he’s already the President!
What was alleged before against MR. Duterte that was dismissed by him as pure “KALOKOHAN” are now being admitted with reservations! Go figure!
Trillanes may not be clean himself (But he serves the purpose for us as a check among themselves, that Dutertards perceive as an act of desperation being an attack dog. And in Duteterte’s words an Askal!), but can we claim otherwise for Mr. Duterte? Should we turn a blind eye because he promises good things and he’s popular?
The lawyer of our future President gave imparting words for Mr. Trillanes!
Atty. Panelo: “Lahat ng sinabi niya ay kasinungalingan. You lie in one, you lie in all. Hindi ka na paniniwalaan.”
Could it be true also for Mr. Duterte? Critical Thinkers as Dutertards do not think so!
In an interview with Erwin Tulfo, Panelo said Duterte also signed an official BPI waiver form that reads:
“I hereby authorize the bank to disclose whatever information relative to my deposit account by virtue of the certification issued upon my request. I hereby waive my right under the Bank Secrecy Law and other applicable laws and I hereby further release the bank, its directors, its officers, its employees, and its agents from whatever liability may arise from such disclosure. (SGD Rodrigo Roa Duterte)”
Panelo also clarifies “A waiver means you surrender protections accorded by the [Bank Secrecy] law. The moment you authorize someone to reveal your deposits, you’re already waiving your legal protections. You cannot sue the bank anymore for breaching confidentiality.
The SPA allowed BPI to say whether the account ever had deposits that cumulatively amounted to P211 million [D1], and BPI said “no”.
BPI asked for 4 to 7 days to comply, But still Trillanes accused Duterte of delaying tactics.
These are the things that Trillanes can’t or DON’T WANT TO understand. Ano pa ba ang hindi malinaw? Sana kasi nagdala siya abogado niya para naipaliwanag sa kanya.
Delaying tactics? Hello, Mr. Trillanes, it was the order of the management of BPI is the main reason why there is a delay of releasing the bank statement of Duterte’s bank account & NOT A DELAYING TACTICS OF HIS!!! Do your math, you son of a ****! And besides, because of the existence of a controversial Bank Secrecy Law, that will take a while to release it to the public & needs an approval to the court to disclose his account on that bank and not by 7 banking days, probably by a month to wait!!! So his tactics against Duterte been backfired by this so called due process. So sorry, Trillanes, maybe better luck next time if you want to mess him again but in the end… YOU’RE A TOTAL LOOSER!!! 😀