Trillanes, De Lima want Andanar probed

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar–ALBERT ALCAIN/PPD

Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Leila de Lima may just investigate the claim of Communications Secretary Martin Andanar of information that Senate reporters were offered $1,000 each to cover a retired Davao City policeman who confessed to being a hit man of then mayor and now President Duterte.

SPO3 Arturo Lascañas had accused President Rodrigo Duterte of being behind the Davao Death Squad, a group of policemen and rebel returnees, which killed hundreds of criminal suspects and other people when Duterte was still mayor.

De Lima said she believed the Senate should take a stand on Andanar’s claim, which the Senate media had denounced as “fake news” and had demanded an apology from the communications secretary.

But Andanar did not apologize, saying he never said reporters accepted the alleged bribe.

“If we can also investigate him, we will investigate him,” De Lima told reporters. —Christine O. Avendaño