Trillanes: Only ‘sycophants, gullible’ like Duterte Sona

Senator Antonio Trillanes (left) said only sycophants and the gullible would appreciate the speech of President Rodrigo Duterte (right) during his State of the Nation Address on July 24, 2017. INQUIRER FILES

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday likened President Rodrigo Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona) to a campaign speech “only sycophants and the gullible would appreciate.”

“Overall, the Sona sounded like a campaign speech that only sycophants and the gullible would appreciate,” Trillanes said in a statement.

The staunch critic of Duterte also pointed out that despite Duterte saying he hates corruption, he never launched any anti-corruption program in the past year.

READ: Duterte urges public: Report corruption by leaving anonymous tips

“Worse, he released GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) and buried Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” the senator said. “And, by the way, he has also admitted that he used to be corrupt when he was mayor.”

Contrary to the claims of Trillanes, Duterte fired a Cabinet secretary and numerous other government officials over mere allegations of corruption. The President launched Hotline 8888 to receive public complaints against corrupt, abusive or negligent government officials, officers and offices. Meanwhile, the PNP created the Counter-Intelligence Task Force to go after rogue or corrupt policemen.

READ: Anti-scalawag hotline helps nab 2 extorting cops in Manila

The president, in his Sona, said he would not talk with communist insurgents due to their unreasonable demands in peace talks.

“They said I’m a bully. You’re all fools. I am really a bully, son of a bitch. I am really a bully, especially to the enemies of the state,” Duterte said.

Trillanes, in return, criticized the chief executive’s appointment of communists in his cabinet.

“He said he hates the Communists yet he hasn’t fired the communists in his cabinet,” he said.

Referring to the controversial war against drugs of the administration, the senator also denounced Duterte’s admission to killing people when he was Davao mayor.

“He admitted to killing people when he was mayor. Yes, plus the 10,000 killed though his bloody war on drugs,” said Trillanes.

“He ranted again about illegal drugs and has killed thousands of lowly users and pushers but the top drug lords like Peter Lim have yet to be arrested,” he added.

The government has said that it neutralized bigtime drug personalities like alleged Eastern Visayan drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, who has been arrested, and his father, Rolando Espinosa, who was killed in a police operation inside a jail in Leyte. Alleged major traffickers Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz and Melvin “Dragon” Odicta have also been killed.

Trillanes said Duterte’s Sona had “no clear anti-poverty or economic agenda.” CBB