MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV appeared before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, declaring himself “vindicated” as he presented what he called definitive proof that members of the Duterte family received payoffs from drug syndicates.
The testimony took place during an intense session of the House Quad Committee, which is currently investigating the links between illegal drug operations, POGOs, and extrajudicial killings during the previous administration.
Trillanes presented a series of documents, which he claimed were verified by recent reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), to support his long-standing allegations:
- The “Drug Lord” Payoffs: Trillanes alleged that massive sums of money from known drug lords were funneled into bank accounts belonging to immediate family members of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
- AMLC Confirmation: The former senator highlighted a specific AMLC report that allegedly flagged over 18 significant transactions involving the Duterte kin. Trillanes stated that these records align with the “bank documents” he first publicized in 2016.
- Scam Hub Connection: He further alleged that the protection provided to certain POGOs served as a “cover” for the continued movement of drug money through the Philippine financial system.
During his opening statement, a visibly impassioned Trillanes addressed the committee, noting that he had faced multiple lawsuits and “relentless persecution” for making these claims in the past.
“For years, they called me a fabricator. They used the entire machinery of the state to silence me. But today, the truth is coming from the government’s own financial intelligence unit. I am not here for vengeance; I am here for accountability.”
The committee members, led by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, scrutinized the documents provided by the former senator.
- Opening the Records: The committee moved to formally request the unredacted copies of the AMLC reports to verify the names and account numbers cited by Trillanes.
- Cross-Examination: Some members of the committee questioned the timing of the “leak” of the AMLC data, while others emphasized that the sheer volume of flagged transactions—reportedly worth billions—warranted a full-scale criminal investigation.
- The “Smoking Gun”: Several lawmakers noted the “glaring gap” between the bank information presented and the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) previously filed by the Duterte family members.
Lawyers representing the Duterte family have dismissed Trillanes’ testimony as “recycled propaganda” and “hallucinated evidence.” They maintained that the bank records are falsified and that the former senator is merely using the current political climate to settle old scores.
The House Quad Committee has summoned officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to the next hearing to testify on the authenticity of the transactions. With the Senate also preparing for a potential impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the Trillanes testimony adds another layer of complexity to the unfolding national crisis.