Opposition Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on Friday, April 5, denied that he took part in a video circulating online, linking Presidential son Paolo Duterte to illegal drugs.
“First of all, let me congratulate the people behind the videos that linked the Duterte family to illegal drugs! The accusations of the witness were very serious, quite pointed and well-explained,” Trillanes said.
“Having said that, I really wish I was part of the making of the videos so I could relish these moments but sadly I am not,” he continued.
A six-minute video called “Ang Totoong Narco List – Episode 1” featured a certain “Bikoy” who claimed that he previously worked for a “big drug syndicate” that operates in Southern Luzon and Visayas region. An “internal document” or TARA records, which Bikoy possessed, was bared in the video, showing the monthly allocation for each principal of the alleged syndicates, their code names, and bank accounts. Meanwhile, at the bottom part of the paper were signatures to “validate the list.”
A narrator in the video said the first “principal” in the list, who has the “biggest monthly share,” uses two codenames: “POLODELTA-TSG01” and “ALPHA TIERRA-0029.” The narrator then identified the principal as the older son of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The narrator also mentioned Waldo Carpio as the younger Duterte’s alleged “dummy” in the transactions. Carpio is the brother of his brother-in-law, Manases Carpio, and is currently an undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture.
Renewing dares
The senator, who is one of the Duterte administration’s staunchest critics, challenged anew the Chief Executive to sign a bank secrecy waiver to prove that he has no undeclared wealth.
Trillanes told the President that he should also face allegations against him and the first family like what the lawmaker did when he was accused by Duterte of having offshore bank accounts.
“I confronted it squarely and didn’t stop until I was able to debunk your lies,” he said, adding, “And when you realized na napatunayan ko na hindi totoo ang mga paratang mo, umatras ka at inamin na inimbento mo lang ‘yun. Ano, ganun na lang ‘yun (that I was able to prove your allegations to be false, you withdrew and admitted that you made it up. What, is that it)? Until your next lie?”
He also renewed his 2017 challenge to the younger Duterte, who is running for Davao City First District congressman, to show the supposed tattoo on his back which the senator earlier claimed is the proof of a triad membership. Trillanes had said the younger Duterte has a dragon-like tattoo on his back with “sacred digits” that can be decoded by the United States (U.S.) Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Ikaw naman Polong, ipakita mo na lang ang likod mo, ang dami mo pang arte (As for you Polong, just show your back, stop this nonsense),” Trillanes said.
The younger Duterte had denied that he is involved in the illegal drug trade, slamming a certain “J.S.” for tagging him in the video.
“WOW ha kung makaimbento ka wagas. Galit ka kay Waldo kasi binabara niya lahat ng smuggling mo ng bigas at asukal diba J.S. (Wow, you are so good at inventing. You are mad at Waldo because he is blocking your rice and sugar smuggling. Right, J.S.)?” the former vice mayor said.
In another statement, the younger Duterte accused Trillanes of being behind the online video.
He said if there is anything “admirable” about the lawmaker, that is his “relentless and talent to turn the absurd into something ridiculous, if not bizarrely entertaining.”
“He may deny it, but the video supposedly showing my involvement in the illegal drug trade in the country has been clearly stamped with the indelible Trillanes signature of being a desperate mercenary, one who has done nothing good but attack the government,” he said.
The Presidential son had filed libel cases against Trillanes. The younger Duterte said he will file another “string of cases” against the lawmaker for his “continued attempts” to damage his reputation.
The President and the Palace had defended the former vice mayor, both dismissing the video as “propaganda.”