Duterte says he will ‘subpoena’ Trillanes mother over ‘shady’ Navy deals

President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night said he would subpoena the mother of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV over her alleged anomalous deals with the Philippine Navy.

“Sumobra ka. We will initiate an investigation kagaya mo and I will subpoena your mother sa ayaw mo’t sa hindi. Baka sabihin mong walang power, there is. We also have the contempt power but we have to go to court,” Duterte said in his speech at the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Manila.

The President in September 2018 accused the mother of Trillanes of allegedly entering into business transactions with the Philippine Navy when the senator and his father were still in military service.

READ: Duterte accuses Trillanes’ parents of entering into business deals with Navy

In November 2018, Duterte revealed that the government was “quietly” investigating into the alleged Philippine Navy deals of the parents of Trillanes.

READ: Duterte: Gov’t ‘quietly’ probing Navy deals of Trillanes’ parents

Duterte earlier accused the senator’s mother of being a supplier for the Navy, which the chief executive claimed was a clear case of conflict of interest since Trillanes was as a Navy officer then. /jpv