MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s son Paolo is accusing Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV of being behind the uploading of a video alleging that he received payoffs from drug traffickers.
“He may deny it, but the video supposedly showing my involvement in the illegal drug trade in the country has been clearly stamped with the indelible Trillanes signature of being a desperate mercenary, one who has done nothing good but attack the government,” Paolo, former vice mayor of Davao City, said yesterday.
He challenged those behind the video to back up the claims against him, and stressed he would never bare to the public the tattoo on his back just to please Trillanes.
This developed as Sen. Franklin Drilon said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee should reopen its investigation into the alleged link of Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio to the illegal drug trade.
Drilon stressed he does not want to pass judgment on the guilt or innocence of anyone and a public hearing in the Senate would even help them clear their names.
“It is best for the Blue Ribbon committee to resume its investigation in order that those named in the video, particularly Mr. Duterte and Mr. Carpio, can clear their names, so that there is a forum by which this issue can be discussed,” Drilon told the Kapihan sa Senado forum.
“If these allegations are invented as asserted by Mr. Duterte, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigation will give Mr. Duterte an opportunity to explain and dispute the allegation in the video. Otherwise, this video will keep on going around social media and there is no opportunity for Mr. Duterte to debunk or disprove these statements,” Drilon added.
He said the person in the video, who identified himself as a certain Bikoy, should also appear at the Senate hearing.
“We should exert every effort. I’m sure that matter could be best determined by the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Sen. Richard Gordon, who is also a lawyer,” Drilon said.
“Being a former justice secretary and being a lawyer, I don’t want to pass judgment of guilt or innocence on anyone unless I have the opportunity to examine the evidence,” he added.
Drilon, however, said the allegations made in the six-minute video were serious as there were several documents and certain names mentioned, including the presidential son and Agriculture Undersecretary Waldo Carpio.
He said the younger Duterte has also revealed names including a certain “JS” who he was convinced was behind the uploading of the video.
“Who is this JS? Does he have any evidence or any documents?” Drilon asked.
Showing several documents, Bikoy, who concealed his face by wearing a hooded yellow jacket, detailed the supposed money trail on drug protection money for Paolo.
Paolo denied the allegations, saying JS was trying to get even after Waldo supposedly blocked the rice and sugar smuggling of JS.
Waldo is a brother of Manases Carpio, husband of the President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio.
“Wow, you’re so good at inventing. You’re mad at Waldo because he is blocking your rice and sugar smuggling. Right J.S?” Paolo wrote in Filipino in Facebook account.
“You’re mad at me because I snubbed you on a flight because you’re so arrogant. Now, I’m giving you attention – with my hand as big as your face. That’s real news,” he added.
In his latest statement, Paolo said, “If there’s anything admirable about Mr. Antonio Trillanes, it is his relentlessness and talent to turn the absurd into something ridiculous, if not bizarrely entertaining.”
Trillanes claimed the tattoo bears the number of the presidential son in the illegal drug syndicate in the country.
“And no, I will not show the tattoo on my back and make things easier for Mr. Trillanes. Instead, I dare him and everyone behind the stupid and empty video exposé to back their claims against me,” Paolo said.
Paolo said he will continue to pursue criminal cases against Trillanes for ruining the family’s reputation.
“I have filed cases against Mr. Trillanes for ruining my name. I will file another string of cases for his continued attempts to destroy my reputation,” he added.