Paolo Duterte says he is seeking ‘justice’ not ‘revenge’

FILE: President Rodrigo Duterte and his eldest son, former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte (Photo: Vice Mayor Pulong Duterte – Official/Facebook)

Contrary to his father’s statement, Presidential son Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Saturday, November 17, said he has no intention to get back at Senator Antonio Trillanes.

“I honestly do not seek revenge. What I seek is justice,” Duterte said in a statement.

Speaking before the Filipino community in Papua New Guinea on Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte said his eldest son is running for Congress in the upcoming midterm elections to retaliate against one of his fiercest critics.

“I think he is running for congressman kasi napahiya kasi (because he was shamed). Hiniya ni Trillanes eh (He was shamed by Trillanes),” the President said.

“Gaganti talaga ‘yan (He will surely take revenge). He will be running for congressman. Tabla sila diyan. Ang sabi ko [kay Pulong] magkaaway man kayo ni Trillanes pagdating ninyo sa Congress, magbarilan kayo at mamatay ka, ililibing kita (They are even there. I told Pulong that even if he and Trillanes fight once they meet in Congress; if they shoot each other and he died, I will bury him),” he added.

Last September, the former Davao City vice mayor filed another criminal complaint against Trillanes, this time, for committing libel during his media interviews on CNN Philippines on June 14 and DZMM on June 6.

Trillanes, in both interviews, accused the Presidential son of involvement in the P6.4 billion worth of shabu (crystal meth) shipment from China that slipped into the country in 2017. The younger Duterte, however, had denied the allegation.

[READ: Paolo Duterte slaps Trillanes with libel suit anew]

In his statement, the former vice mayor said the senator should “man up” and face the cases he filed in the court.

He also noted that Trillanes will be “worse than a non-matter” as the latter will end his term next year.

“He will end his term as a senator like it is a blessing to the Filipino people — perhaps except for the few who believed in the lies he concocted against me and my family,” the former vice mayor said.

The younger Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on October 12 to run for congressman of Davao’s 1st District, a post vacated by Karlo Nograles who was recently chosen by the Chief Executive to be his Cabinet Secretary.