Defense Secretary Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro, Jr. has delivered a stinging public rebuke to former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, who questioned his ties to Vice President Inday Sara Duterte amid mounting scrutiny of China-linked financial transactions.
“WHATEVER GAME YOU ARE PLAYING TRILLANES—DO NOT INVOLVE SEC. TEODORO,” read a Nov. 8 post on the defense chief’s official Facebook page.
The warning came after Trillanes made remarks during a Nov. 4 interview with political analyst Richard Heydarian. “May billions siyang intelligence funds eh bakit hindi niya nalaman ’yung nalaman ko? May history ’yan, very close ’yan si Gibo kay [VP] Sara kaya nga wala kang maririnig,” Trillanes said.
Teodoro had previously urged authorities to subject the allegations to a formal investigation. On Oct. 3, he said, “The allegations of former senator Trillanes, if substantiated, raise serious implications for national security.” He also called on Trillanes to submit any evidence supporting his claims to law enforcement agencies.
During an Oct. 2 briefing, Trillanes claimed that funds from Chinese government and corporate sources were transferred to Cale88 Foods Corp., a banana-chip exporter where Carpio served as an incorporator and shareholder from 2021 to 2024. Trillanes had earlier withdrawn as a prosecution witness in Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial.
Anti-Money Laundering Council executive director Ronel Buenaventura confirmed ₱319,326,770.41 in remittances to Cale88, including ₱315.935 million from mainland China and ₱3.39 million from Hong Kong. Three transactions appeared in suspicious transaction reports over insufficient identified trade or legal justification. The testimony did not establish Chinese government financing or money laundering.
Trillanes also pointed to a documented ₱150-million donation made by the Chinese Embassy in 2019 to the Duterte-linked Tapang at Malasakit Alliance, intended to finance the construction of 13 school buildings in Davao City.
Duterte’s camp dismissed the allegations raised by Trillanes, while the Chinese Embassy denied providing financial support to any Philippine political faction.
