Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. AP file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday shot back at President Rodrigo Duterte, after the latter asked his critics what have they done for the country except to criticize and talk.
Four Trillion ang budget mo, tapos hahanapan mo ako ng ambag? Batukan kaya kita.
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) April 16, 2020
“Four trillion ang budget mo, tapos hahanapan mo ako ng ambag? (You have a P4-trillion budget, and then you’re asking me what’s my contribution?)” Trillanes asked the Chief Executive on Twitter, referring to the P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget.
“Batukan kaya kita, (I’d like to slap you), ” the former senator and staunch Duterte critic added.
In his address to the public, Duterte bashed his critics asking them: “Ano ang nagawa ninyo para sa bayan? Pag sinabi ninyo ako, wala. Eh kayo? What have you done for the country except talk and criticize and talk?”
(What have you done for the country? You tell me that I haven’t done anything. But how about you? What have you done for the country except talk and criticize and talk?)
Before this, the President also answered his detractors who criticized the national government’s management of funds intended to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health crisis.
Particularly, he lambasted a lawmaker—who he did not name—for questioning the funds worth P275 billion, an amount which Duterte said has yet to be collected by the government.
The Philippines currently has 5,660 COVID-19 cases, of which 435 managed to recover while 362 succumbed to the disease.