On Monday Antonio Trillanes IV said that if photos were going to be used as evidence, then President Rodrigo Duterte may also be liable in the illegal drug trade, given that he has posed—and even shook hands with—businessman Peter Lim, tagged as a top drug supplier.
At a Senate hearing, Trillanes noted that this would apply to Duterte if the photos of Sen. Leila de Lima with alleged Visayan drug lord Kerwin Espinosa would be used against her.
"Kung ito ang basehan ng guilt, ipapakita natin... kasi nauuso ngayon 'yung guilt by picture-taking. Kanina sinasabi ng lahat ng tinatanong ko, si Peter Lim ang pinakamalaking drug lord sa Visayas, walang nagdi-dispute," he said as photos of Duterte and Lim were shown at the Senate's overhead projector screen.
"Ngayon nandidito siya, kakamayan niya si President Duterte mismo in at least two occasions.... Kakamayan. Kumpare ni President Duterte itong pinakamalaking drug lord na si Peter Lim," he added.
"Ngayon sinasabi ko, I am not ready to make a judgment dahil picture 'yan. Then 'wag din nating gagamitin itong kay Sen. De Lima. Otherwise, kung gagamitin natin itong guilt by picture-taking, aba... huli na natin si President Duterte kasi pinakamalaking drug lord 'yung kakamayan niya," Trillanes said.
"Si Kerwin Espinosa kumukuha siya ng droga kay Peter Lim. So tao lang siya ni Peter Lim. Ngayon, are we now ready to use pictures as a sign of guilt?" he added.
PNP chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa then said the President was "very angry" upon finding out Lim had been identified as a drug lord.
Dela Rosa said Duterte ordered a case build-up against Lim.
Trillanes is becoming a crazy one in the senate. Bato is right, the President is very angry over drug lord Lim.