Trillanes says Duterte trying to fool public

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday accused Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of resorting to gimmickry in his bid for the country's top post.

Trillanes, who is running for vice president while openly supporting Sen. Grace Poe's run for the presidency, said Duterte repeatedly told the public he would not run before submitting his certificate of candidacy for president close to the deadline for substitution.

"Nung una sinabi niya, hindi ako tatakbo... Doon pa lang pinasakay na tayo," Trillanes said in an interview over radio dzBB.

Trillanes also criticized Duterte's campaign against crime, saying the tough-talking mayor did not have a perfect law enforcement policy in his own hometown.

The senator also picked holes in Duterte's aim to reduce illegal drugs and crime by half in his first year as president.

"Sa Davao, marami rin naman pong addict. Relatively, may kapayapaan pero laganap ang illegal drugs doon," he said. "Huwag tayo magpadala sa ganoong yabang."

The senator's statement against the popular Davao official was not the first. In January, Trillanes said that to have a leader like Duterte will be a "disaster for the country" and is worse than electing Vice President Jejomar Binay to the presidency. Binay is Trillanes's political foe and the subject of his months-long Senate Blue Ribbon inquiry. — Camille Diola