PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte chided Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Saturday, showing how common it is to have tattoos by baring his own "tats" on his upper right arm.
Duterte bared his arm in reference to accusations made by Trillanes that presidential son and Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte has a tattoo on his back signifying the younger Duterte’s membership to the Triads, a Chinese criminal syndicate.
The President said all his children have tattoos in different parts of their bodies
Trillanes made the allegations during a Senate hearing last week on the P6.4-billion worth of shabu that was smuggled into the country from China.
Duterte again lambasted Trillanes saying the senator’s presence in the hearing is a waste and that his line of questioning is "embarrassing."
"Itong si Trillanes, hindi naman abogado, pati itong si Alejano, nakakahiya na, sayang ang ginastos ng gobyerno, hindi naman ninyo alam ang batas, pasok kayo ng pasok," he said.
"Ako anak ng presidente ng Pilipinas bigyan ko ng tattoo to recognize him, bullshit. May tama itong si Trillanes. Ang dapat ninyong makita na tattoo kay Inday, nakita ninyo sa likod ni Inday, araw, si Baste, buong katawan, nakita niyo yung kamay niya, puro tattoo," Duterte said before removing his jacket to bare his tattoo.
"It's a rose, dito yung number ng Guardians Brotherhood. Sinong bro ko dito? that's a brotherhood," he said.
Duterte then said he will publicize Trillanes' bank account, which he said, contained records of transactions involving the senator's pork barrel or Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
"We will show his bank account, yung more than 200 consultants niya sa DAP, may kaso siya sa DAP...they will have to answer also. Joint account niya, ang kasama niya puro Chinese, tapos paulit ulit, in Hongkong, in Malaysia, meron din sa United States, just like him, kung anong nakuha niya na basura, itong akin hindi ito basura, andyan ako sa gobyerno," Duterte said.
"Matagal na yan hawak ko, medyo sumosobra na kasi, he has been at it against me my son, and my family, selection. I thought all the while na pulitika naman, pero ito, he's bent on destroying me, so I destroy him or he destroy me," he added.
Duterte was in the city on Saturday to pin a Kampilan medal to 74 wounded soldiers from Marawi City now recovering at the Army hospital inside Camp Edilberto Evangelista.
The awardees, two of them officers and 72 are enlisted personnel, received a new medal called ‘Order of Lapu-Lapu’ medals, particularly the Kampilan medal.
The award was established just this year and is conferred by the President in recognition of the invaluable service rendered by officials and personnel of the government, including private individuals, "in significantly advancing a campaign or advocacy of the President, particularly acts of valor and kindness described as extraordinary acts of service and exceptional contributions to the country".
The medals bear the images of Lapu-Lapu and a Kampilan on its obverse side. The reverse side bears the seal of the President of the Philippines.
Duterte, in his talk to soldiers, vowed to allocate P50 billion for the education of the children of all wounded and killed soldiers and police in the Marawi crisis.
"Wala kayong problema sa medisina, sa ospital, sa pamilya ninyo. Lahat ng byuda may trabaho, automatic yan, ako na sasagot ng edukasyon, 50 billion this year," Duterte said.
“Gusto ko makapag aral sila ng eskwelahan na magbayad ang gobyerno," he said.
Aside from the Kampilan medal, Duterte also gave mobile phones and an Armscore caliber .45 pistol to the soldiers.
Duterte said he wants the soldiers to use their new guns against enemies of the state.
"Binigyan ko kayo ng baril, mainit yan sa NPA, para malakas loob ninyo pag labas sa kampo, ng bahay, taguin nnyo yan, hindi ka dapat makilala na sundalo ka. So pag may nakita kang patindig tindig sa labas ng bahay mo, pagbihis mo andyan pa rin, paglabas mo ng bahay palakad na papunta sa iyo, barilin na yan, pag hindi NPA, edi sorry," he said.
"Ang cellphone binigay ko dahil gusto kong may direct contact kayo sa commander in chief, direkta na sa akin, gusto kong makausap kayo anytime, sosolbahin natin yang problema nnyo, army, airforce man, o marine," he said.