How can we believe Duterte if he lied about Trillanes’ accounts? —ex-Ateneo dean

An academic has raised serious questions regarding the admission of President Rodrigo Duterte that he simply fabricated bank account numbers to make a fool out of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

How can the public believe the President's domestic and foreign policies if he admits to issuing fabricated statements? Tony Laviña, a former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, said in a report by Sandra Aguinaldo on GMA News' "Saksi." 

"He admitted that he was a liar. Can you imagine that? 'Yung Pangulo natin hindi nagsasabi ng katotohanan. Paano natin siya paniniwalaan sa war against drugs, sa China, sa martial law, sa Marawi?" said Laviña.

In a live interview aired on state-owned PTV-4, Duterte said he read out the wrong account number to make a fool out of Trillanes.

Trillanes flew to Singapore to debunk the Duterte's allegations about the senator's supposed hidden wealth.

In Singapore, a teller at DBS Bank said Trillanes does not have an account with them. She said they could not give him a certification as he was not a client of the bank.

The credibility of the President is put on the line when he exposes alleged corruption in the government, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

"Pag nagiba mo 'yung one or two, it follows na 'yung mga susunod may cloud of doubt. Paano mo ma-appreciate yung credibility ng iba pang similar accusations kung itong dalawa pa lang hindi na pumasa ng credibility test?" Lacson said.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella defended the President, claiming it was part of Duterte's "unorthodox and out of the box" style.

"He doesn't hide it, right? He is quite transparent about his intentions," Abella said.

"May kanya-kanya pong style. As you very well know, the President is quite unorthodox and rather out of the box. He has his own game plan on the way he does things," the Palace official added. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/VDS/NB, GMA News