Senator Antonio Trillanes IV taunted former Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte after the latter tagged him as the uploader of an unverified video claiming Duterte, a son of the president, has links to the illegal drug trade.
Trillanes congratulated on Facebook those behind the video from the YouTube channel “Ang Totoong Narco List” and said he wished he could’ve been part of its creation.
The video labeled as “Episode 1” claimed that presidential son Paolo as the main beneficiary of a large illegal drug syndicate in the country.
"First of all, let me congratulate the people behind the videos that linked the Duterte family to illegal drugs! The…
Posted by Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV on Thursday, April 4, 2019
“First of all, let me congratulate the people behind the videos that linked the Duterte family to illegal drugs! The accusations of the witness were very serious, quite pointed and well-explained,” the senator said.
“Having said that, I really wish I was part of the making of the videos so I could relish these moments but sadly I am not,” he added.
Trillanes also challenged Paolo to prove he does not have a tattoo of the dragon identified with the Triad, believed to be a notorious drug den.
“Ikaw naman Polong, ipakita mo na lang ang likod mo, ang dami mo pang arte,” he said.
Paolo previously slammed a certain “J.S.” whom he says could be the uploader of the video. On April 4, he shifted the blame to Trillanes.
If there’s anything admirable about Mr. Antonio Trillanes, it is his relentlessness and talent to turn the absurd into…
Posted by Vice Mayor Pulong Duterte – Official on Wednesday, April 3, 2019
“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,” he said on Facebook.
Paolo also deliberately admitted he has a tattoo on his back but he will now show it.
“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,” he said.
A certain “Bikoy,” who was introduced in the video as a former member of the syndicate, alleged that Paolo and other big-time drug operators used code names for illegal drug transactions based on a document called “TARA.”
President Rodrigo Duterte also defended his son against these allegations.
“Well, that is a propaganda that has been repeated all the time. Alam mo, alam ko propaganda na ‘yan. I was told. Eh pabalik-balik na ‘yang… I assure you, we are not into it,” Duterte said.
“Kaya sabi ko kayong mga bakla… I do not have to give the name. Iyan sa mga critics ko tanungin ninyo kung sino at alam ninyo kung sino siya,” he added.
More cases?
Paolo threatened anew that he will file more cases against the senator.
“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 said on his post.
He already filed two complaints, namely, the libel suit in 2017 and the damage suit in 2018, over Trillanes’ accusations that Paolo is involved in an illegal money-making scheme and a member of a drug triad.
Duterte also alleged Trillanes has offshore bank accounts containing a substantial amount of money in 2017.
The vocal critic then moved to prove that such accounts did not exist. Duterte then admitted that the account numbers he mentioned were made up.
