Palace: Trillanes should substantiate serious claims vs Paolo Duterte

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Update

Malacañang on Thursday said Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV should need to have “substantial evidence” to prove that his accusations against Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte are solid and valid.

READ: Trillanes: ‘Dragon-like’ tattoo links Paolo Duterte to ‘triad’

Trillanes, during the Senate hearing on the P6.4-billion smuggled shabu at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), claimed the younger Duterte was a member of the “triad” based on the appearance of a “dragon-like” tattoo on his back.

“Ito pong intelligence information na ito ay ibinigay sa akin ng isang foreign country na sinasabi ay itong si Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte ay member ng triad. Ang proof ng kanyang membership ay ang kanyang tattoo sa likod,” Trillanes said.

(This intelligence information is given to me by a foreign country telling me that Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte is a member of the triad. The proof of his membership is the tattoo on his back.)

A triad is a group of people involved in various organized crime.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Trillanes should prove his “serious” claims.

“Those are very serious allegations and he needs to have some substantial evidence to support that statement,” Abella said in a Palace briefing.

Paolo admitted he has a tattoo but refused to show it.

READ: Paolo Duterte says ‘No way’ to showing tattoo

In an ambush interview, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has harsh words for Trillanes.

“He reminds me of a walking robotical nonsense. He is the epitome of falsehood in this country,” he told reporters.

Panelo said Trillanes was engaging in a “malicious propaganda” against the first family.

“Isa na namang kabalbalan ang ginawa ni Senador Trillanes kanina. He has engaged in what I would call a malicious propaganda against the President through the son-in-law and his son,” he said.

“Ito rin ang ginawa niya kay Presidente Duterte nung nagkakampanya pa,” he added.

Panelo also mocked the senator for wanting to see the tattoo of the vice mayor.

“Trillanes is dedicated to his ignorance. He is a walking nonsense. He even wants to see the Vice Mayor’s tattoo. Is he gay?” he said.

Malacañang earlier said President Rodrigo Duterte won’t interfere in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation. JPV

RELATED VIDEO