DAVAO CITY—Former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte said Tuesday’s arraignment of opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV marked the beginning of his family’s “search for the truth and justice” even as he welcomed to Davao City the staunch critic of his family and the administration of President Duterte.
“All the incredible lies Mr. Trillanes has invented to destroy me and my family are finally catching up with him,” Paolo said in a statement hours after Trillanes entered a not guilty plea before a Regional Trial Court here in connection to the four libel cases filed against him by Duterte and his brother-in-law lawyer Manases Carpio.
Trillanes had accused Paolo and Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, of involvement in the P6.4-billion shabu (crystal meth) shipment that slipped into the country through the Bureau of Customs in 2017.
Paolo also sued Trillanes for libel after the senator accused the resigned Davao City vice mayor of extortion on several ride-hailing firms.
“We all know that Mr. Trillanes is a pathological liar and today marks the beginning of our search for truth and justice,” Paolo said. “Mr. Trillanes, welcome to Davao City,” he added.
The senator arrived in Davao with his security team and members of the Senate sergeant-at-arms around 5:30 a.m. on board a Philippine Airlines flight. He was expected to fly back to Manila late Tuesday afternoon. FRINSTON LIM/lzb