Trillanes reacts to Reyes’ column

Dear Editor:

We write in reference to the opinion column of MS. MARY ANN LL. REYES, titled, “A major embarrassment,” which was published in your prestigious newspaper on Nov. 1, 2017, as well as on the online version of the same.

On behalf of SEN. ANTONIO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV, we wish to call your attention to the false, malicious and derogatory statements of Ms. Reyes and the use of fake news as basis in her column.

Ms. Reyes failed to mention the source of her story on this alleged incident but based on our research, it appears that a similar story was also published by a columnist of the Pilipino Star Ngayon, Mr. Al Pedroche. Prior to this, a similar story was posted by a certain Bobby Capco on his Facebook profile, who is a Duterte supporter. Apparently as a result of the column, this was used as a source of the Adobo Chronicle blog, which is a satire website.  Said story was also used by the Thinking Pinoy Facebook page, which is known to publish fake derogatory articles against critics of President Duterte.

The story baselessly claims that Sen. Trillanes was referred to by President Trump as “little narco,” which  is a serious and clearly derogatory imputation by any standard. The story is dubious and clearly fabricated because it failed to identify the name of reporter or reporters who allegedly did the interview of Mr. Trump, as well as the news organizations which reported the same. In fact, the  White House has released the transcript of the interviews done by Mr. Trump while on board the Air Force One at that time and nowhere does it appear that Sen. Trillanes’ name was ever mentioned during said interviews. Even in your paper’s article dated Nov. 5 2017, entitled “No Trump mention of Trillanes,” the author clarified that Sen. Trillanes was never mentioned in the said interview. Clearly, your story is based on “fake news,” and was apparently published for no other purpose than to tarnish if not destroy the reputation of Sen. Trillanes.

It is in this regard that we seek a public apology from Ms. Reyes in order to correct and/or rectify this obviously erroneous and seemingly malicious article that she wrote against Sen. Trillanes. We also hope that the side of Sen. Trillanes in this regard be published by your venerable newspaper with the same prominence as that of the offending article.

As partners in promoting press freedom, transparency and accountability, we hope that this concern would merit your immediate attention and favorable action. Otherwise, we shall have no recourse but to pursue the legal remedies available to Sen. Trillanes in order to vindicate his rights and protect the public from this nefarious practice of publishing fake news.

Very truly yours,

Rolando T. Averilla

Chief of Staff