Antonio Trillanes IV. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Ex-Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte’s new political affairs adviser, who called the former lawmaker a “nobody” following his plunder claims against the Chief Executive and Senator Bong Go.
“Mr. Paras is irrelevant and insignificant. Their actions and responses show that they cannot directly confront the allegations against them. Iniiba ang usapan (They’re changing the topic),” Trillanes said in a statement.
He was reacting to pronouncements made by former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto “Jing” Paras, who was recently named as Duterte’s adviser for political affairs.
During a Palace briefing earlier in the day, Paras, in his first appearance as Duterte’s political affairs adviser, devoted airtime to lambast Trillanes, calling the former senator a “nobody.”
Despite this, Trillanes stood behind his claims that Duterte and Go allegedly plundered P6.6 billion in government projects.
“Ang bottomline is, according to COA (Commission on Audit) documents, nag-award si Duterte sa construction company ng tatay at kapatid ng alalay nyang si Bong Go ng 184 projects amounting [P6.6 billion] Maliwanag na plunder ‘yan,” the former senator added.
(The bottomline is, according to COA documents, the Duterte administration awarded the construction companies owned by his aide Go’s father and brother with 184 projects amounting to P6.6 billion. That’s clear plunder.)
Both Malacañang and Go earlier said Trillanes’ accusations are already “rehashed” allegations.