President Duterte has claimed that Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV is behind the viral YouTube video linking his son former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte to the illegal drugs trade.
Duterte said that it was an old propaganda being recycled by Trillanes.
“I assure you we are not into it,” Duterte told Malacanang reporters in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
“Purveyor of that is Trillanes and the rest of the Yellow, so hinahayaan ko na lang ‘yang si Trillanes. That has become his passion,” he added.
A YouTube video titled “Ang Totoong Narco List” alleged that Paolo is involved in the illegal drugs trade.
The narrator of the almost seven-minute video revealed a list of code names allegedly being used by principals and their kickbacks which were deposited in the bank accounts of the supposed drug lords.
He made the connection to Paolo after the code name “POLODELTA-TSG01” topped the list. He said this was the presidential son based on his initials.
Malacañang has said that the video was definitely a black propaganda trying to besmirch the name of the President and his family.
“Just like the other false narratives against the President, it will not succeed as the overwhelming majority of the Filipino people trust his sincerity and fidelity to his duty as President in serving and protecting the citizenry as well as believe in his incorruptibility,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.
“PRRD’s enemies and detractors will always try to discredit him but they are doomed to fail,” he added.
Trillanes yesterday denied his involvement in the video.
The opposition senator said he was not part of it although he lauded the supposed exposès in the video.
“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 added.
Trillanes said he, “as everyone else,” is also looking forward to more videos on the claims.
Two episodes of the “Ang Totoong Narco List” series have so far been uploaded on YouTube. Aside from Paolo, the series also implicated Agriculture Undersecretary Waldo Carpio, and the latest was Duterte’s common-law partner Honeylet Avanceña. (Argyll Geducos and Vanne Terrazola)
