Philippine president's son denies links to $125-million drug shipment at Senate probe

Record ID: 909476

  • Title: Philippine president's son denies links to $125-million drug shipment at Senate probe
  • Date: 7th September 2017
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English/Visayan) SON OF PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE, PAOLO DUTERTE, SAYING: "My presence here is for the Filipino people and to my fellow Davaoenos, whom I serve. I am very sorry, please forgive me, but I cannot answer allegations based on hearsay." PAOLO DUTERTE'S BROTHER-IN-LAW MANESES CARPIO SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAOLO DUTERTE'S BROTHER-IN-LAW, MANESES CARPIO, SAYING: "I am here before this committee to formally declare that I have no knowledge of, or involvement in, the illegal drugs shipment which is the subject matter of this inquiry." SENATORS SPEAKING DUTERTE AND CARPIO STANDING UP SENATE HEARING ENDING
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2017 09:17
  • Keywords: Drugs war drugs shipment President Rodrigo Duterte's son Senate probe
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0056XLJM85
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's son on Thursday (September 7) told a Senate inquiry he had no links to a seized shipment of $125 million worth of narcotics from China, dismissing as "baseless" the allegations of his involvement in the drugs trade.
    Opponents of the president, who has instigated a fierce crackdown on a trade he says is destroying the country, say they believe his son Paolo may have helped ease the entry of the drug shipment at the port in Manila, the capital.
    Senator Antonio Trillanes, a staunch critic of the president, displayed to the Senate panel news clippings and photographs of Paolo Duterte beside a businessman who was behind the shipment in which the alleged drugs were found.
    The president's son-in-law, Manases Carpio, who has also been accused of links to the May drug shipment from China, told the hearing he had no involvement. The Philippine leader, who has unleashed a bloody anti-narcotics campaign that has killed thousands in police shootouts and vigilante killings, has repeatedly said he would resign if critics could prove any members of his family were involved in corruption and the drug trade.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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