Acierto: Duterte, Go put P50M bounty on my head

Former police Colonel Eduardo Acierto on Thursday accused former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go of putting a P50 million bounty on his head after he linked a presidential adviser to the illegal drug trade. 

“Dahil po [ito] sa ginawa kong report na nadiskubre ko iyong connection nila kay Michael Yang at Allan Lim or Lin Weixiong,” Acierto told the House Quad Comm committee investigating the drug war during the Duterte administration.

(This is due to my report discovering their connection with Michael Yang and Allan Lim.) 

Yang was Duterte''s economic adviser during the previous administration. 

Acierto also made the same accusation in July this year and back in 2019 after supposedly discovering Yang's illegal activities, which were included in his 2017 confidential report. 

He said Duterte ignored the report and that the Philippine National Police (PNP) cleared Yang and Lim of involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Back in September 2021, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), facing then President Duterte, also cleared Yang and Lim of drug links.

"Kahit hagilapin mo lahat, Sir, walang Michael Yang diyan (Even if you look at the personalities involved, there is no Michael Yang there)," then PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva told President Duterte, a taped video of which was released to the media.

Acierto, however, said that Yang and Lim were never investigated in the first place.

“I don’t think they have conducted proper investigation on the two. They were cleared without proper investigation. Because if they conducted a proper investigation, they could have vetted my report,” Acierto said.

“There were attachments, warrants, dragon tattoo of Michael Yang who is called Dragon. I don’t think they even invited Yang and Lim to the PNP and PDEA for an inquiry,” Acierto added.

In response, Go said Acierto’s words were mere repetitions of baseless allegations.

“These are all recycled, rehashed, perjured, and baseless allegations.  Hindi ko kilala 'yang si Mr. Acierto, hindi ako interesado sa kanya, wala akong idea at all sa sinasabi niya, at walang katotohanan din naman ang mga pahayag niya laban sa akin,” Go said.

(I don’t know him, I am not interested in him and I have no idea what he is talking about. There is no truth to what he is saying.)

“Sayang lang oras natin kung pagtutuunan ko pa siya ng pansin (We would be wasting our time if I will pay attention to what he is saying),” he added.

Go then said he expects allegations of the same kind to be repeated since he is up for reelection in May 2025.

“[We] expect more black propaganda mula sa mga gusto lang manira ng iba para sa sarili nilang mga interes. Nakakalungkot na binibigyan ito ng pahintulot ng QuadComm,” Go said.

(We expect more black propaganda from people who want to besmirch others to further their vested interest. It is sad that the QuadComm is allowing this.)

“It is not part of my job to put value on someone whose only intent is to destroy others’ reputation. Basta ako, nagtatrabaho lang ako para sa kapakanan ng kapwa ko Pilipino (I am just here to work for the welfare of the Filipino people),” Go added.

GMA News Online also reached out to former President Duterte for comment and will update the story as soon as it is available.—VAL/AOL, GMA Integrated News