Duterte to file plunder raps vs Prietos

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (RENE LUMAWAG/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

The President on Tuesday revealed that “one of these days,” he will file a plunder case against the Prieto family.

“One of these days, I’ll file a plunder case. When I file a plunder case, you will go to jail without a bail,” President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said in a media interview.

The President did not give more details on what grounds the Prieto family is guilty of, but mentioned the issues surrounding their Mile Long property and previous ownership of Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).

“During the many issues about Inquirer and — sumobra kayo eh (You went too far). Talagang hindi lang (Not just) garbage, pati (but also the) the spoils in the toilet bowl na eh. Kaya nung nakita ko ganun pala kayo at hindi naman pala kayo santo, pati kayo (That is why when I found that you were like that and that you were not really saints as you) have been plundering government with your non-payment of taxes and hanging on to the property of government way beyond the years of the contract you’re supposed to relinquish the property,” Duterte said in his speech.

“So you use media as your cover, as your influence and all along, ganun pala kayo (you were like that), you have not paid your taxes,” the President added.

Duterte then went on by saying that the Prieto family’s taxes were reduced from billions to millions.

He also said that a lot of people in government service are accused by media for being corrupt, but even those behind the media (referring to the Prietos who previous owned PDI), are “corrupt.”

“He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. If you are trying to, you know, throw garbage at us, then the least that we can do to explain is how about you? Are you also clean?” Duterte stated.

The topic about the media was brought up in his speech as he was initially talking to Pia Ranada, Rappler’s reporter assigned to a Malacañang beat. Currently, Rappler is in hot waters as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoked its license.