Palace to Trillanes: Good luck with possible jail time after ‘Bikoy’ revelation
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday slammed anew Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, saying the opposition lawmaker should prepare himself for the possibility of being put behind bars again after he was linked to an alleged effort to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Palace’s latest tirades against Trillanes came after Peter Joemel Advincula — the man who claimed to be behind the videos linking the first family to the illegal drug trade — recanted his previous claims and later tagged Trillanes and the Liberal Party to an alleged conspiracy to unseat Duterte.
In a statement, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo called Trillanes “a destroyer of reputations,” adding that the former military serviceman-turned-lawmaker could be jailed again following Advincula’s about-face.
“Mr. Trillanes’ greater service to the nation is his mandatory exit from the Senate where he distinguished himself as a destroyer of reputations of people, including causing the self-extinction of a gentleman military officer whom he disrespected and humiliated before the nation,” Panelo said.
“While many will wish Mr. Trillanes good riddance as he is about to leave the hallowed halls of the Senate at the end of June of this year, we will instead wish him luck as he faces another prospect of being placed behind bars again as the self-confessed black propagandist turns against his master, even as his victims look forward to seeing the Senate, or better yet the Government, without the cantankerously obnoxious coup plotter,” he added.
Advincula first surfaced at the office of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines on May 3. He identified himself as “Bikoy,” the hooded figure in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” (The True Narcolist) videos accusing Duterte and his family of involvement in drug trafficking.
A day after his public appearance, Malacañang cast doubt on Advincula’s credibility and raised the man's supposed criminal record. But with Advincula now pointing fingers at the opposition, Panelo said the allegations should be investigated.
Duterte had repeatedly accused Trillanes of masterminding efforts to destabilize his administration.
The senator received amnesty in 2011 after he was charged over his involvement in a failed 2003 coup and a mutiny four years later. The Duterte administration had sought to revive the rebellion charges against Trillanes.
On Friday, Trillanes berated Duterte for claiming that the senator was the brain behind the Ang Totoong Narcolist videos. “This time, it’s Bikoy who’s your source. You’re really a genius, Duts,” Trillanes said.
READ: Trillanes mocks Duterte’s latest tirade
Advincula was reportedly released from police custody Saturday after posting bail over his pending charges. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral
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