Binay camp: Trillanes ‘has habit of inventing things’

By: Maila Ager - 10 years ago

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s new spokesman, Cavite Gov. Juanito Vicente “Jonvic” Remulla. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Antonio Trillanes ‘has a habit of inventing things.’

This was how Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, spokesman of Vice President Jejomar Binay, reacted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s claim that Binay met with the President early this week in an attempt to stop the Department of Justice’s investigation on corruption allegations hurled against him.

“That did not happen,” Remulla said in a text message on Friday.

Asked why Trillanes would issue such statement if that conversation did not take place, the spokesman said: “He has a habit of inventing things.”

“There were two people in that meeting. Trillanes wasn’t one of them. From what I know, the President thinks very little of Trillanes,” Remulla added.

Trillanes told INQUIRER.net that he got the information from somebody privy to the meeting.

Instead of “making up stories,” Remulla said in another statement, that he senator should start answering questions about his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

“Senator Trillanes should start answering questions about his SALN before making up stories. How can the Vice President ask the President to stop a probe that hasn’t started at that time?” he asked.

Binay’s camp had earlier asked Trillanes to explain the eight luxury vehicles that he allegedly owned when he was a Navy lieutenant second grade.

But the senator quickly denied the allegation, saying his SALN was open to the public for scrutiny.

“The allegation of UNA that I owned eight luxury vehicles enumerated in their press release is a blatant lie. In truth, what I owned was a second-hand 1996 Nissan Terrano, which could not be considered a luxury vehicle. I sold the said vehicle in 2007 to help finance my senatorial campaign,” Trillanes said in a statement last Tuesday.