Trillanes reacts to criticisms on BBC interview: ‘Haters will hate’

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday shrugged off criticisms to his recent interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

“It is what it is. People who watched the full interview (not the spliced one) are entitled to their own opinion. The haters will hate; the believers will believe,” Trillanes said in a statement.

Trillanes, a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, said he considers his interview with BBC HARDtalk presenter Stephen Sackur as “one of the proudest moments of my public life.”

“Setting aside the trolls, the critics who gave very negative feedback presume that they can do better. But we very well know that they cannot. So, we march forward,” he said.

Last week, Malacañang mocked Trillanes’ interview with the BBC when newsmen sought its comment on the senator’s allegation that Duterte was behind the downgrading of charges against the policemen linked to the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa.

“Maybe it’s best to summarize Senator Trillanes’ interview with the BBC, when he said that the senator seems to be out of tune and not reflective of the times,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

Abella was referring to the question that Sackur posed toTrillanes in an interview on June 21, if he didn't in fact think his negative comments against Duterte were “out of tune with ordinary Filipino opinion.”

Sackur pointed out that Duterte was still enjoying a high approval rating despite his controversial war on drugs, at 75 percent.

Trillanes responded that the number had dropped since he was elected and that the figure Sackur cited was at least three months old.

Sackur interrupted Trillanes and said that if Western politicians got a 75 percent approval rating, it would be the happiest day of their life.

Trillanes countered that may be that's because the “bulk of Filipino public” was unaware of what’s happening on the ground. —ALG/KVD, GMA News