Thousands of supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo, many of them from the youth sector, filled the General Trias Sports Park during the presidential candidate’s grand rally in Cavite last March 4, 2022. (VP Leni Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidate and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday challenged President Rodrigo Duterte and presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson to identify the communists who are allegedly part of the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo or face the possibility of being branded as peddlers of “fake news.”
“I am calling on President Duterte and Senator Lacson to name the communists that they claim to be part of the campaign team of VP Leni,” Trillanes said in a statement.
“Bilang kaalyado ni VP Leni, diretsahan na sasabihin ko na hindi ito totoo, pero bibigyan ko pa rin sila ng pagkakataong maglabas ng pangalan,” he added.
(As an ally of VP Leni, I would say it straight that these are not true, but I would still give them a chance to name names.)
Antonio Trillanes IV (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
Duterte on Sunday claimed that he received an intelligence report about a supposed conspiracy between communist insurgents, “yellow” forces, and another unspecified group to sow discord, especially during the May 9 elections.
Lacson earlier cautioned Robredo about a possible “communist infiltration” in her campaign and urged her team “to take appropriate action” against it.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson
The remarks came in light of allegations of presence of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) legal fronts during the grand rally of Robredo and running mate, vice presidential candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan in Cavite.
Robredo has belied the claims.
Asked for a comment on Trillanes’ dare, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said he will first discuss it with his team.
INQUIRER.net also asked for a comment from Lacson but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.
In a tweet on Monday, Lacson said: “Sabi nila, mali ang intelligence sources ko. Mali din daw si dating NPA (New Peoples Army), Jeffrey Celiz. Si Ret Col Hector Tarrazona, mali din.”
(They say that my intelligence sources are wrong. They also say that former NPA member Jeffrey Celiz is wrong. Ret Col Hector Tarrazona is also wrong.)
Sabi nila, mali ang intelligence sources ko. Mali din daw si dating NPA, Jeffrey Celiz. Si Ret Col Hector Tarrazona, mali din. Ngayon, mali pa rin daw ang Presidente at ang buong intelligence community ng gobyerno. Ang gusto ba nilang palabasin, sila at ang CPP/NPA lang ang tama?
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) March 13, 2022
“Ngayon, mali pa rin daw ang Presidente at ang buong intelligence community ng gobyerno. Ang gusto ba nilang palabasin, sila at ang CPP/NPA lang ang tama?” Lacson said.
(Now they are saying the President and the whole intelligence community of the government is wrong. What are they trying to say, they and the CPP/NPA are the only ones who are right?)