PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte revealed Sunday night that he is selling a Mercedes-Benz luxury car that was gifted to him and that the proceeds would be used for government projects.
Duterte did not say who gave him the luxury vehicle, now parked at the Presidential Security Group compound in Malacañang.
“This is the truth, someone gave me a Mercedes-Benz, that’s true. Go to the PSG compound, it’s there. I did not accept it, I only left it there,” Duterte said Sunday night during the thanksgiving party of PDP Laban.
“To the taxpayers who are interested, they can buy it from the government. I will sell it,” he added.
A Mercedes-Benz costs between P5 million and P9 million, plus a 60 percent excise tax, depending on the model and year the car was produced.
In a news briefing, Duterte declined to reveal who gave him the luxury vehicle.
“I’ll better not reveal who gave it to me [but] it was given by my girlfriend,” the President said, adding that proceeds from the car’s sale will be used for state projects.
“I’ll sell it to you. I don’t ride cars. Davao City residents know that, I only use a 1988 pick-up truck. Even now, when I go to Davao, I only use my truck,” he said.
If his children gets involved into corruption, Duterte vowed that he will resign, saying he would never condone any form of corruption under his watch.
“Whether you have money or you have none, I do not accept gifts,” he added.
