By Earl Jed Roque/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday said it is only Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s mere imagination that makes him think of threats allegedly coming from President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s camp.
In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he is no longer surprised with Trillanes’ latest remark, asking to be exempted from the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s gun ban due to alleged threats to his security.
“Guni-guni niya lang yun (It’s just his imagination). He’s being ignored nga eh, di nga siya pinapansin (nobody pays attention to him). He’s an illusionist,” Panelo said.
Panelo said Trillanes might be “referring to himself” when he called Duterte a satanist.
Trillanes is facing libel charges filed by presidential son Paolo Duterte and President Rodrigo Duterte’s son-in-law, lawyer Maneses Carpio.
The outgoing senator linked Paolo Duterte, a former vice mayor of Davao City, and Carpio to alleged drug smuggling and extortion activities.
Earlier, Panelo clarified the cases were not filed by the Duterte administration but by Paolo Duterte and Carpio, in their capacity as private individuals who found Trillanes’ accusations libelous.
Trillanes pleaded “not guilty” to four counts of libel filed against him.
Trillanes, a former Navy officer, is also facing rebellion charges for leading botched mutinies against former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2003 and 2007.
