Trillanes: Duterte dinner invite a ‘trap to neutralize’ Leni

President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo show no signs of animosity as they exchange pleasantries while seated next to each other during the commencement exercises of the Philippine National Police Academy on Friday, March 24, 2017. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday dismissed President Rodrigo Duterte’s dinner invitation to Vice President Leni Robredo as a political tactic to “disarm” and “neutralize” his second-in-command.

“It is a trap to disarm and politically neutralize her at this time that Duterte is facing the biggest political storm yet of his term as president. Let me remind everyone that it is the same tactic Duterte used early on during his term wherein he belatedly offered a Cabinet post to her then made fun of her through his misogynistic remarks about her legs and knees,” Trillanes said in a statement.

“VP Leni wasn’t even given the latitude to appoint her own people within her department. Then when it was politically convenient, Duterte unceremoniously kicked her out of the Cabinet. Now, he’s at it again. Only the naive would be fooled,” he added.

Malacañang on Saturday confirmed that Duterte had asked Robredo to dinner with his family when they shared the stage at the Philippine National Police Academy graduation ceremony last Friday. The invitation extended to Robredo’s daughters, according to presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella.

READ: Palace confirms Duterte’s dinner invitation to Robredo and kids

The invitation came amid impeachment threats being hurled against the country’s two highest officials, and after Duterte remarked that Robredo was “in a rush” to replace him. The Vice President has repeatedly denied any involvement in destabilization efforts against Duterte, which the President said he would like to believe.

Robredo resigned as Duterte’s housing czar in December last year after being barred from Cabinet meetings supposedly due to “irreconcilable differences.” She has been critical of some of the administration’s policies, including the brutal war on drugs, push to revive death penalty in the country, and the decision to bury the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

As for Duterte’s call for a “political ceasefire,” Trillanes said he respected the President’s electoral mandate but it should not exempt him from being accountable for the alleged crimes he had committed.

“Just to cite a few allegations: he has ordered the killing of radio broadcasters Jun Pala and Fred Sotto; he has amassed ill-gotten wealth of more than 2 billion pesos through corruption; and he committed crimes against humanity through his brutal policy wherein at least 8,000 poor Filipinos were killed. Mr. Duterte, you have to answer for your crimes because you are not above the law,” the senator added. JE/rga