I didn’t make it, but I wish I did.
That’s essentially what Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said today after presidential son Paolo “Polong” Duterte accused the lawmaker of producing the viral video “Ang Totoong Narco List” (The Real Narco List) which makes the allegation that Paolo has earned millions of pesos from the illegal drug trade.
In a statement that appeared on his social media accounts today, Trillanes congratulated the people who created the viral video, calling it “serious” and “well-explained.”
He added, somewhat seriously: “I really wish I was part of the making of the videos so I could relish these moments but sadly, I am not. In the meantime, I am looking forward, as everyone else, to the next episode.”
Will he watch it with popcorn?
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.
Having said that, I really wish I was part of the making of the videos so…. pic.twitter.com/rMF1HzYJNh
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) April 4, 2019
Trillanes then used the ensuing controversy to accuse President Rodrigo Duterte of benefitting from the country’s illegal drug trade.
He said: “You are the drug lord all along. Tsk, tsk. You have killed so many Filipinos just to fool the public. But you should face that.”
However, in the first episode of “Ang Totoong Narco List,” only Paolo has been alleged of benefitting from the illegal drug trade. It presents documents that allegedly show Paolo receiving millions of pesos from the sale of illegal drugs through the accounts of Department of Agrarian Reform assistant secretary Waldo Carpio.
Waldo is the brother of Manases Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Paolo’s older sister.
According to the video, Paolo was allegedly given the aliases “Polo Delta-TSG01” and “Alpha Tierra 0029” in the drug syndicate’s documents. The video also alleged that Paolo has a tattoo of “Alpha Tierra 0029” on his back, near an image of a dragon.
In his statement, Trillanes also challenged the president to sign a bank secrecy waiver, which would allow investigators to look into the money that he keeps in his bank accounts.
“My challenge to you, sign a bank secrecy waiver to show that you are not corrupt and prove that the billions of money that you have in the bank is not from drugs,” he said.
This is not the first time Trillanes has told the president to sign the waiver. As early as September 2017, Trillanes urged the president to sign one, after the senator accused him of having hidden wealth. The president refused, saying that Trillanes can look for his own evidence to back up his claims, reported Rappler.
Of course, Trillanes also addressed Paolo in his statement. He said: “And you Polong, just show your back. You’re so fussy.”
Back in September 2018, Trillanes accused Paolo of benefitting from the drug trade, and even made the allegation that the presidential son has a dragon tattoo on his back, which the senator said is proof that Paolo was part of a drug syndicate, ABS-CBN News reported.
Trillanes had asked Paolo to show his back during a Senate hearing, but the latter refused to do so.
The senator’s reaction comes after Paolo yesterday accused him in a Facebook post of being the mastermind behind “Ang Totoong Narco List.” In his post, Paolo also wrote that he has no plans of showing what’s on his back.
“I will not show the tattoo on my back and make things easier for Mr. Trillanes. Instead, I dare him and everyone behind the stupid and empty video exposé to back their claims against me,” Paolo said.
The heated exchange between the two continued this morning. Paolo shared an article which quoted Trillanes’ statement and told the senator: “Show me your experts in triad tattoo, idiot! You’re all talk!”
Prior to accusing Trillanes, Paolo accused a certain J.S. of masterminding the viral video.
Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that “Ang Totoong Narco List” was an example of black propaganda.
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