Trillanes on Duterte skipping June 12 rites: Walang disiplina sa katawan

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday took a swipe at President Rodrigo Duterte for skipping the rites to celebrate the country's 119th Independence Day.

"Dito mo makikita na wala siyang pakialam, wala siyang halaga na ibinibigay dito sa very important event sa kasaysayan ng bansa," Trillanes told reporters at the sidelines of the Defend Democracy Summit (DDS) in UP Diliman.

The senator said this showed that the President had no discipline.

"Ano ba naman 'yung bumangon ka nang maaga? Kita mo, walang kadisi-disiplina 'to sa katawan itong mama na 'to, kaya I'm very, very frustrated and disappointed na siya 'yung presidente natin," he added.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella announced Duterte's absence from the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Rizal Park mere minutes before it was about to begin.

Vice President Leni Robredo led the rites in his stead.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who represented Duterte during the ceremony, said the President missed the event because he was too tired from staying up late.

"You know the President has been working 24/7, meeting the troops, meeting the commanders, and then late last night, visiting the wounded and mga namatay. So that's why this morning, he didn't feel that well," Cayetano told the media after the rites. "Nothing to worry about, but it's better for him to rest muna this morning kasi as you know the target was to liberate Marawi today, June 12," he added.

Duterte on Sunday night went to Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for the dignified transfer of the fallen soldiers of the Philippine Marine Corps amid the ongoing clashes in Marawi City.

Prior to that, he visited wounded soldiers in Camp Evangelista Station Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

"Puyat na puyat at pagod," the Foreign Affairs Secretary said.

Malacañang earlier announced that the traditional Independence Day Vin d'Honneur was canceled to allow Duterte to attend to matters in Mindanao, which he placed under martial law in light of ongoing clashes between government troops and the Maute local terror group in Marawi. —NB, GMA News