Trillanes not subscribing to Duterte’s alleged ‘shortcut’ way to finish criminals

MANILA, PHILIPPINES– Senator Antonio Trillanes III on Wednesday agreed that a number of people are getting frustrated with the rising criminality in the country but warned them not to resort to Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged vigilante-style approach against criminals.

”I agree they are frustrated and it’s quite tempting and I believed a good number of our people are now pointed to take that short cut but I will warn them not to go there,” Trillanes said in a media forum Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

Duterte reportedly admitted his links to the death squad, which is allegedly responsible for summary executions of criminals in Davao City.

The Davao City mayor also reportedly warned he would kill up to 100,000 criminals if elected president.

Trillanes, a vice presidential candidate, believed that the rising violence and criminality can be solved “without resorting to those short cuts.”

The senator, however, clarified that he is not stopping the people from listening to Duterte on what he can offer as new addition to the presidential aspirants in 2016.

”Let’s allow Mayor Duterte to speak so that we can hear and see how his decision process, his value system, his approaches to the problem, then you decide,” Trillanes said. “If you like what you see, then vote for the guy, if not, then don’t.”

Trillanes said there is also segment of the society that accepts Duterte’s style of using cursing words and the mayor’s admission that he is a womanizer.

”Well, they actually believe otherwise. There is a segment of our society who would want a president like that. So it’s up to them,” he said.

Trillanes personally believes that Senator Grace Poe is still the best among the five presidential candidates.

Other presidential wannabes include Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas of the ruling Liberal Party, Vice President Jejomar Binay of the opposition and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.