Palace hits Duterte claim Trillanes is admin’s attack dog

UNDER PROBE. Former president Rodrigo Duterte attends an inquiry on his administration’s war on drugs at the House of Representatives on Wednesday (Nov. 13, 2024). Malacañang said the Philippine government would respect Duterte’s decision to surrender to the International Criminal Court in the event that he is found guilty of alleged crimes against humanity committed during the implementation of his anti-drug campaign. (Screen grab via House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Malacañang on Monday denied the allegation of former president Rodrigo Duterte that it is backing his staunch detractor and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV in the latest attacks against him.

“Mahirap nang pumatol sa ganyan. Hallucination na ‘yan (It’s hard to comment on such issue. That’s hallucination),” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told reporters in a media interview.

Duterte reportedly raised suspicions that Trillanes’ latest attacks against him were “Malacañang-sponsored” during a phone call with his legal counsel Salvador Panelo, which was aired live on social media.

Duterte and Trillanes recently faced off at the House Quad Committee hearing on the previous administration’s war on drugs.

At one point, the former president lost his temper and threatened to throw a microphone at Trillanes after the latter revived old allegations that suspicious funds were funneled into the Duterte family’s bank accounts.