Malacañang said Vice President Sara Duterte should explain the billions of pesos in transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), stressing that accountability rests with her as a public official.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after the AMLC told congressmen on Wednesday, April 22, that it had flagged nearly P6.8 billion worth of transactions from bank accounts linked to Vice President Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, from 2006 to 2025.

In her press briefing on Thursday, April 23, Castro said it would be better to hear the Vice President’s reaction to this “revelation” instead of the Palace’s.

“Mas maganda po malaman natin kung ano ba ang reaction ng Bise Presidente (It would be better to know what the Vice President’s reaction is),” she said.

According to the Palace Press Officer, the revelations are not new and do not warrant a response from the President.

“Hindi ito bago… walang reaksyon ang Pangulo, walang reaksyon ang Palasyo (This is not new… the President and the Palace have no reaction),” she said.

Castro also said there is no need to issue a message to Duterte.

“Malaki na siya (She’s a grown woman),” she said.

“Hindi kailangang bigyan ng mensahe ang Bise Presidente (There is no need to give the Vice President a message),” she added.

Castro, however, emphasized that Duterte, as Vice President, is expected to uphold transparency.

“Public servant siya… siya po ang dapat na makaalam kung anong dapat niyang gawin (She is a public servant… she should know what she needs to do),” she said.

The AMLC earlier told the House Committee on Justice that it flagged nearly P6.8 billion in transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, from 2006 to 2025. The agency reported P3.77 billion in transactions from Duterte’s accounts and P2.99 billion from Carpio’s accounts.

These included both covered transaction reports (CTRs) and suspicious transaction reports (STRs), based on bank submissions.

Lawmakers also noted possible discrepancies between the reported transactions and Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

The Ombudsman earlier confirmed that Duterte declared no cash on hand or bank deposits from 2019 to 2024, even as her net worth increased significantly.

The AMLC clarified that covered transactions refer to bank deposits exceeding P500,000 in a single day, while suspicious transactions are those flagged due to possible irregularities or links to unlawful activity.

It added that the reports are based on submissions from banks, not independently initiated investigations.

The AMLC findings were presented during House hearings on the impeachment complaints against Duterte, which include allegations of unexplained wealth.

The proceedings are part of efforts to determine probable cause in the case.