Duterte hits Trillanes’ remark on drug war deaths

Earlier, Trillanes said Filipinos believe that there has been a decrease in the number of illegal drug users because most of them are dead. (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday night castigated Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for his remark that there are only fewer drug addicts in the country today because most of them were killed in the drug war.

Duterte called Trillanes “stupid” for believing the international figures on drug war deaths instead of the “real numbers” released by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Some critic, a senator — a stupid senator — Trillanes said, ‘Oh they are dead, there are no more (drug addicts) — because they are dead,’” he said in a speech during the 9th anniversary of the Mindanao Development Authority and 25th anniversary of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) in Davao City.

Duterte said that Trillanes should go to the US since he preferred to trust the drug war figures released by human rights groups there.

“You do not even know how to count. And you kowtow to the figures of foreigners. You go to America, Trillanes,” he said.

Earlier, Trillanes said Filipinos believe that there has been a decrease in the number of illegal drug users because most of them are dead.

The lawmaker made this remark following a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that showed 66 percent of Filipinos believe the number of illegal drug users has decreased.

PNP data showed that from July 1, 2016 to April 30, 2018, more than 4,000 have been killed in drug-related operations.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has estimated that more than 12,000 suspected drug personalities were killed since the crackdown on illegal drugs was launched on July 1, 2016.

Daughter’s order

Duterte, meanwhile, slammed Trillanes for nitpicking on his recent weekend trip to Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of his long-time partner Honeylet Avanceña on February 17.

“You take on every issue. I go to Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of my wife because that was the order of my daughter,” Duterte said.

“This Trillanes, you are paying a public servant who was just there to nitpick (on) issues,” he added.

Duterte quipped that he considers himself “just a sergeant” while his partner and daughter were “generals” from whom he takes orders.

“And the order of my daughter, just like the order of the mayor here, I follow. If I’m in front of them, I’m just a sergeant. They are the generals. Really, it’s very hard to deal with a daughter,” he added, referring to Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte.

He said it is difficult to win over a quarrel with women in his family because they would not settle for being told to keep quiet.

“The boys, well, they can take a tongue-lashing or shout ‘Shut up.’ But the girls, if they begin to quarrel with you, you cannot just say, ‘Shut up,’ because the mayor would also say, ‘Ah you also shut up,’” Duterte said.

“Daughters are a special kind. They really control,” he added.

Trillanes earlier claimed that Duterte spent his weekend in Hong Kong to receive medical treatment and not for rest and recreation as Malacañang has stated.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, however, said that it would be impossible to hide getting medical treatment abroad because Filipino workers could easily find out eventually.