MALACAÑANG on Thursday commented on the new allegation made by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV against Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte accusing the presidential son of being a member of a crime syndicate.
Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Trillanes should present "substantial" evidence that would support his "very serious" allegation against Duterte.
"That's pretty drastic. Those are very serious allegations and he needs to have some substantial evidence to support that statement," Abella said.
At the resumption of Senate probe into P6.4-billion worth of shabu shipment from China, Trillanes said he received intelligence report from a foreign country that Duterte is part of a triad.
The senator said Duterte's triad membership could be verified through a colored dragon-like tattoo on his back.
"A foreign country provided me an intelligence information, saying that Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte is a member of a triad. The proof of his membership can be proven by a tattoo on his back," Trillanes said. "I can imagine it's a colored and dragon-like figure tattoo."
Duterte, during Trillanes' interpellation, confirmed that he has tattoo on his back but invoked "right to privacy," when asked if it was "dragon-like."
Trillanes also presented photos showing alleged Duterte's links to Kenneth Dong and Charlie Tan. Dong is the alleged middleman for the shabu shipment that slipped past the Bureau of Customs while Tan is the alleged smuggler.
Abella said the senator should support his claims not just through "pictures and anecdotes."
"For matters like that, I think he really needs to be able to provide substantial evidence. I mean, aside from just pictures and anecdotes. You know, these are very serious allegations and implications," he said. (VoxPop Philippines)
