Trillanes mocks Duterte’s latest tirade

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday mocked President Duterte, who accused him of using his powers as a senator to persecute other people.

Trillanes said Duterte has yet to recover from his “blunder for inventing” offshore bank accounts allegedly held by the senator as well as hitting his ailing mother, who is afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.

“There you go again. You have not yet recovered from your blunder for inventing my alleged offshore bank accounts and also your statements against my mother and now you have new allegations,” Trillanes said in Filipino.

“This time, it’s Bikoy who’s your source. You’re really a genius, Duts,” he said, referring to Peter Advincula, who surfaced on Thursday after surrendering to the police.

Trillanes denied Advincula’s claim that he was behind the series of the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” online videos.

Trillanes said Advincula’s latest statements could be another ploy of the administration to harass members of the opposition.

He said he would be consulting with his lawyers on the possibility of filing criminal charges against Advincula.

Duterte on Thursday called Trillanes “shameless,” citing Advincula’s allegations that the senator has many properties under his dummies’ names.

He said the truth about Trillanes’ character will soon come out.

Not here – Ateneo

The Ateneo de Manila University yesterday said it has never organized any meeting on the supposed ouster plot against the Duterte administration. 

Ateneo president Jose Ramon Villarin denied the allegation made by Advincula, who claimed to be “Bikoy” in the videos that revealed the supposed plan to overthrow Duterte.

Advincula claimed the ouster plan was hatched in Ateneo, which was attended by Vice President Leni Robredo and other opposition personalities.

“The university categorically denies insinuations made that it is party to a plot to overthrow the present government of the Republic of the Philippines,” Villarin said in a memorandum to the university community. 

“It reserves all of its rights to seek redress for any damage which may be wrought by such claim and takes seriously the imperative to uphold the rule of law in our democracy,” he added.

Advincula, who earlier tagged Duterte and his family to a drug syndicate, changed his story and apologized to the President.

He claimed the videos were part of an ouster plot concocted by the opposition, hatched at the Ateneo. 

Robredo called Advincula a liar, saying she has never met him nor did she attend any such meeting at the Ateneo. 

Some of the candidates who ran in the opposition slate also denied Advincula’s allegations. 

“I do not understand these allegations against Otso Diretso candidates and the Liberal Party, why I am being implicated and what this political harassment is for,” human rights advocate Samira Gutoc said in a Twitter post. 

“But in every dark place, the light and the truth will always prevail,” she added. 

Gutoc said she does not know Advincula and has never met or talked to him. 

“I have met thousands of people during the campaign, but I have and will never meet somebody on such matters,” she added. 

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said their group, the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), does not represent Advincula contrary to the claims he made. 

Diokno said Advincula initially approached FLAG for legal assistance but the lawyers’ group refused and referred him to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

“That is the normal practice for lawyers who do not want to handle such cases,” he said.

On May 6, Advincula surfaced at the IBP where he linked the President and his family and some administration officials to drug syndicates.

He then went into hiding before appearing again before the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday.

With PNP officials as backdrop, Advincula changed his story, this time accusing opposition personalities of hatching a plot to oust the President. – With Janvic Mateo