Duterte revives plunder threat vs. Prietos

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday resurrected his threat to make the Prieto family, the owners of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, liable for plunder.

In a speech delivered at the inauguration of Northern Mindanao Wellness and Reintegration Center in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Duterte lashed out at the newspaper as he revived the issue of the Mile Long property in Makati City.

"Iyong Inquirer sabi ko, 'Ikaw Inquirer…' ‘Yung Mile Long diyan sa Makati. For the longest time...," the President said.

"You know, they are liable for plunder," he said.

The Prieto family also owns Sunvar Realty Corp., the company that developed and leased the Mile Long property from the government.

In April 2017, Sunvar vacated the property upon orders from a Makati Court. 

Apart from the Mile Long issue, Duterte also revived his earlier accusations that the Dunkin' Donuts franchise owned by Prietos failed to pay the government billions in taxes.

"Just like doughnut owned by Prieto, four billion. Walang bayad-bayad. Eh akala nila wala ng katapusan. Eh sino nga naman akalang manalo ako?" the President said.

He also reiterated his earlier accusation that former Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares reduced the tax liabilities of the Prietos.

In February, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) sued Golden Donuts Inc., the exclusive Philippine franchisee of Dunkin' Donuts, for allegedly evading taxes worth over P1 billion in 2007. 

Golden Donuts has since denied the accusations of tax evasion, saying the tax liabilities had been settled with the BIR as of 2012.

Duterte's shots against the Prietos was made alongside his tirades against ABS-CBN, saying if it were up to him, its franchise will not be renewed. 

In April 2017, Duterte first lashed out at ABS-CBN and Philippine Daily Inquirer for what he says was unfair coverage dating back to the campaign period.

GMA News Online is contacting the Prieto camp for comment as of posting time. —KG, GMA News