Duterte supporter Robin Padilla threatens to close BPI account

ABS-CBN News

Posted at 02 May 2016 09:46 AM

LOOK: Robin Padilla is at BPI Julia Vargas for the face off between Trillanes and Duterte camp | via @michelle_d_ong pic.twitter.com/V7xMb3qPMy — ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) May 2, 2016

Action star Robin Padilla said Monday he would withdraw all his money from Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to protest what he described as a political hack job against presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte.

Padilla, a vocal supporter of Duterte, flogged Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for accusing the tough-talking mayor of hiding P211 million in a secret account at BPI’s Julia Vargas branch.

The hidden wealth allegation threatens to slow Duterte's march to Malacanang. The Davao City mayor, who has vowed a "bloody" war on crime, holds a considerable lead one week before the elections.

“Pulitika ito, isang malinaw na pulitika ito,” Padilla said of Trillanes, a vice presidential candidate who is supporting Duterte’s closest rival, Sen. Grace Poe.

“Meron tayong batas na dapat sinusunod. Dapat si Sen. Trillanes, sinasabi niyang isang senador, hindi niya dapat sinasabi na walang rule of law... Magwiwithdraw muna ako,” he told reporters.

Padilla did not say how much money he would withdraw from the Ayala-owned bank.

Trillanes has refused to say where he got the information on Duterte’s bank account. The mayor admitted to owning the account but said it contained much less.

READ: TIMELINE: Duterte camp denies, admits BPI account

Duterte has authorized his lawyer, Salvador Panelo, to open his BPI Julia Vargas account in front of Trillanes before noon on Monday.

BPI said there was no breach in client confidentiality protocols despite Trilllanes' revelation. It also asked clients of its Julia Vargas branch to transact in other branches on Monday to avoid heavy traffic that will likely be caused by Trillanes and Panelo's confrontation.