Senator Antonio Trillanes IV downplayed on Wednesday the statement of Solicitor General Jose Calida that branded his accusations against President Rodrigo Duterte as mere “black operations.”
In an interview, Trillanes, a staunch critic of the President, asserted the veracity of his accusations against the country’s top official and insisted anew that Mr. Duterte must sign a waiver to unearth the truth.
“Ang black ops kasi hindi totoo. Ang sinasabi natin totoo, ang ating mga paratang. At ang tanging paraan para i-disprove yan ni Mr. Duterte ay pirmahan niya ‘yung waiver para magkaalaman,” Trillanes told Senate reporters.
“Sabi ko nga, dami ko pang conditions, dami ko pang ikinarga doon sa pagpirma nya ng waiver na pag nagkamali nga ako they can get rid of me once and for all. Pero ayaw nilang harapin so ‘yung mga palusot nilang ‘yan hindi na ubra sa taong bayan ‘yan,” he added.
At a press conference, Calida claimed they gathered information that “there are black [propaganda] operations against President Duterte that come from various forms and colors.”
Calida, however, said “(t)hey will not succeed. They are doing subversive activities and we can send them to jail for that.”
READ: Not just ‘yellows’ but various colors plotting Duterte’s fall – Calida
Calida also questioned the authority of Trillanes in asking Mr. Duterte to sign the bank waiver.
“Ano akala nya sa presidente utu-uto? Trillanes is giving an order to the president tama ba yon? Who is he? This guy appears to be brave. I challenge him do a coup de etat now and we will see if you are brave. Madami na ngayong bagong hotel,” Calida said.
Responding to this, Trillanes maintained that he has the right to demand such because he is a citizen of the country and an elected official.
“I’m a citizen of this republic, not only (that) elected official ako so I can demand transparency and accountability and integrity from the President of the Republic,” Trillanes noted.
Trillanes continued: “Alam nyo for a Solicitor General eh napaka-baluktot ng mga argumento. Maraming mga diversions, distractions ayaw nalang harapin.”
(For a Solicitor General, he gives crooked arguments. So many diversions, distractions; why not just face the allegations.)
“I-recommend nya sa presidente nya na ‘Mr. President, para mahinto na itong mga ito, pirmahan nyo nalang yung waiver para mapahiya sila.’ Ganun ang i-recommend nya sa presidente nya…,” he added.
(He should instead recommend to his president that ‘Mr. President, to put a stop to all these, just sign the waiver so they will be embarrassed.’ That’s what he should recommend to his president…)