Trillanes to Rody: Just answer allegations

MANILA, Philippines -  President Duterte should just answer the allegations raised against him instead of responding with lies, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said yesterday. 

Meanwhile, the militant youth group Anakbayan said the repeated threats of Duterte to declare martial law should not be taken lightly.

Trillanes made the comment as Duterte accused him of extortion activities against big businessmen, which the senator denied.

“That is a lie coming from a pathological liar. If that is true then he should present the details and file a case against me,” Trillanes said.

According to Trillanes, he would face whatever cases would be filed against him.

Unlike Duterte, Trillanes said he came out with specific details in his allegations against the President.

Trillanes alleged the President owned several bank accounts, the accumulated balances of which ran up to over P1 billion over the years.

None of these were declared in the President’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth during the years that he was mayor of Davao City.

Trillanes has also presented two self-confessed Davao death squad (DDS) members – Edgar Matobato and retired police officer Arthur Lascañas, who testified about the killings they allegedly did upon orders of Duterte.

“I came out with specific details, documents and witnesses and I filed a case against him in support of the allegations I raised against him,” Trillanes said.

“He continues to hide. So stop the lies and open your bank accounts,” he added.

Trillanes belongs to the Magdalo, which has filed an impeachment complaint against the President through Rep. Gary Alejano of the party-list group.

Reacting to the latest remark made by the President on Thursday upon arrival from Thailand, the youth group cautioned the Chief Executive against toying with the idea of martial law.

“The public should be vigilant against Duterte’s martial law threats… The President’s repeated threats of imposing military rule show that his authoritarian ambitions are serious,” Anakbayan national chair Vencer Crisostomo said.

“We strongly condemn these martial law threats and proposals to create military courts. Duterte is lying when he says martial law measures will solve the country’s ills. In truth, this will only worsen social injustice and human rights violations,” he added.

Duterte said declaring martial law could solve the problems of the country, including the proliferation of illegal drugs.

“If I declare martial law, I will finish all the problems, not just drugs,” Duterte was quoted as saying.

Anakbayan, however, warned that Duterte could turn into another dictator like Ferdinand Marcos.

They noted that even without the declaration of martial law, he has already unleashed “state terror” in the form of the war on drugs that has killed almost 8,000 people.– With Janvic Mateo