Plunder vs Duterte for frigate deal? ‘We don’t respond to nonsense’ – Palace

BRP Jose Rizal is the first brand new Philippine Navy ship capable of anti-warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare operations. / FRANCES MANGOSING

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang dismissed Tuesday former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s remark that President Rodrigo Duterte admitted to the crime of plunder when he confirmed that he and his trusted aide Senator Bong Go intervened in the Philippine Navy’s frigate deal.

“Who is he? Who is he? He’s no longer in the Senate,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

In a statement earlier Tuesday, Trillanes said, “Duterte’s admission of his and Bong Go’s involvement in the frigate scam is actually an admission to the crime of plunder.”

READ: Trillanes: Duterte confirming role in frigate deal ‘admission’ of plunder

But Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said: “We don’t respond to nonsense.”

Previously, Malacañang was accused of intervening in the acquisition of combat management systems (CMS) for the Navy’s frigates.

READ: Palace had special interest in Navy’s selection of weapons system supplier

Duterte and Go had denied meddling in the multi-billion-peso frigate deal.

READ: No meddling in frigate deal, says Duterte aide

But in his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte revealed that he ordered Go, then a special assistant to the president, to talk to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana after the  Korean contractor of the ships complained that there was no request for delivery yet. /kga