President Rodrigo Duterte and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. (File photos from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — “Be careful of Trillanes. Be on your guard. He will sell you to the devil. When he gets a position, we’re dead,” President Rodrigo Duterte said in his pre-recorded briefing in Surigao del Sur which was aired late Tuesday, referring to former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, one of his staunch critics.
[Original statement, partly in Filipino: “Be careful of Trillanes. Magbantay kayo. He will sell you to the devil. Kapag ‘yan ang nakaupo, patay.”]
Duterte was warning voters against choosing Trillanes if he should run for president.
Meanwhile, he reiterated that his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, would not run for the presidency in 2022.
“Inday Sara is not running, I have really, really, put my foot down. I pity my daughter. The politics here is dirty,” Duterte said.
[Original statement in Filipino: “Naaawa ako sa anak ko. Ang pulitika rito, kababuyan.”]
The President made the remark after Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel prodded him to convince Sara Duterte or his former presidential aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, to run for the presidency.
Pimentel said there should be “continuity” in policies so that achievements gained during the Duterte administration would not be wasted. He said an ally of the president should continue his legacy.
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