President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday turned the tables on President Rodrigo Duterte following his latest tirade during his Monday night address wherein he called his critic as having a “rude mouth.”
Duterte, in a taped speech, claimed that he would rather that his critics such as Trillanes and detained Senator Leila de Lima win the 2022 presidency, than have his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio be exposed to “vagaries” of politics.
He then said that he would be hurt if his daughter had to suffer from Trillanes’ “rude mouth” and De Lima’s “virulence.”
Reacting to the Chief Executive’s remarks, Trillanes said that the public by this time should no longer fall to Duterte’s “lies” and gaslighting ploys.
“Grabe siya magbaliktad ng mundo. Sabi ko nga, nire-recall ko nga, meron ba akong mura na ginawa all this time? Pero ganun siya, that’s how he gaslights people,” Trillanes said in an interview over Teleradyo on Tuesday when sought to comment on Duterte’s remarks.
(He’s good at reversing the world. I’m trying to recall if I said any profanity all this time? But that’s how he is, that’s how he gaslights people.)
“Sana naman yung mga kababayan natin, by this time, kilala na itong si Duterte, kung papaano siya mag sinungaling,” he went on.
(I hope our countrymen will know by this time who Duterte is and how he peddles his lies.)
Trillanes further pointed out that during Duterte’s address, the President seemed out of sorts.
“Isang observation lang, parang bangag e, parang ‘high’ kung magsalita. Parang wala sa hulog e. It’s unfortunate,” he said.
(But one observation I have, he seemed to be spaced out and high while talking. He’s out of sorts. It’s unfortunate.)
During Duterte’s taped speech Monday, he said he would rather see the critics win in the 2022 national elections than let his daughter vie for the presidency to let them taste the difficulty of running the government.
“Itong bastos itong bunganga ni Trillanes. Ewan ko kung saan niya nakuha ‘yang katangian na ‘yan. Pati itong si De Lima. She is wallowing in pity and as a consequence of that, she has become virulent almost, virulent talaga ang lumalabas sa bunganga,” Duterte said in his speech.
(Trillanes has a rude mouth. I don’t know where he got that trait. Even De Lima. She is wallowing in pity and as a consequence of that, she has become virulent, whatever comes out of her mouth is virulent.)
“So I would rather na kung sila-sila na lang ang patakbuhin at sila’y manalo, nagdadasal ako niyan at makita nila kung papaano nila patakbuhin ang gobyerno, kung gaano kahirap,” he went on.
(I would rather that they run and win, I’m praying for that so they will know how hard it is to run the government.)
For this, Trillanes cautioned the President on what he wished for, even expressing confidence that the next administration, as long as it’s not Duterte-backed, will definitely do better than the current one.
“Baka magkatotoo yang panalangin niya. Hindi niya ikabubuti yan,” Trillanes said.
(His prayers might come true. It won’t be good for him.)
“Kasi talagang binaba niya nang todo yung Pilipinas sa iba’t ibang aspeto… So yung susunod na administrasyon, provided na hindi kakampi ay siguradong giginhawa para sa mga kababayan natin,” he went on.
(He really lowered the Philippines in many aspects. So the next administration, provided it won’t be his ally, will surely make our countrymen’s lives better.)