(Eagle News)– Opposition senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that the dinner invitation by President Rodrigo Dutetre was a trap for Vice-President Leni Robredo as he warned the latter not to be “disarmed” by the President.
The senator warned Robredo “not (to) fall for that trap again” in a statement he issued about the dinner invitation.
Trillanes said the dinner was meant to “disarm and politically neutralize her at this time that (Mr.) Duterte is facing the biggest political storm yet of his term as President.”
Trillanes’ colleagues at the Magdalo party-list group filed an impeachment complaint against Mr. Duterte on March 16, the the first day of the long recess of the House of Representatives.
Even during Senate hearings on the Davao Death Squad, Trillanes had warned it would not be long before there could be moves to impeach President Duterte.
He had also defended witnesses Edgar Matobato and retired police officer Arturo Lascanas from critics who pointed out their inaccuracies and alleged false testimonies.
To allegedly strengthen the impeachment complaint filed against the President, Trillanes claimed there would be a supplemental complaint to be filed against President Duterte with regard to his pronouncements on Benham Rise and on Scarborough or Panatag shoal.
But the impeachment move for Duterte in the Lower House had somehow lost steam following the announcement by Deputy House Speaker Miro Quimbo of the Liberal Party (LP) that LP members at the lower chamber would not back the complaint against the president.
The President has denounced Trillanes as a “tulisan” (brigand) who uses his position in the senate to collect retainers.
Duterte extended the invitation to Robredo during a conversation while they attended the Philippine National Police Academy graduation rites in Silang, Cavite. Both were seated side by side during the event.
