Filtered By: Topstories
News

Trillanes declared persona non grata by Davao City Council; truth hurts, he counters


The Davao City Council on Tuesday declared Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as persona non grata, according to a report on Dobol B sa News TV by Rodel Natad of RGMA Davao.

 

 

The declaration was made during the regular session of the city council, citing Trillanes' comment that Davao City allegedly had the highest murder rate and is the number one most dangerous city in the Philippines.

In his privilege speech, Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag said Trillanes' comment is a big insult.

Al-ag said the city received in 2011 and 2015 the Seal of Good Local Governance from former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas commending Davao City's good performance. 

As persona non grata, Trillanes will not be welcome in Davao City.

Al-ag dared the Filipinos who attended a forum in Chicago where Trillanes made the comment to come to Davao City, ride a taxi or jeepney or walk around at night. If something bad happens to them, he said he will pay for their air fare back to Chicago.

The vice mayor also said Trillanes' alleged moves to malign Davao City, Davaoeños, and most especially the city's most famous resident, President Rodrigo Duterte, will not prosper.

'Truth hurts'

Trillanes on Tuesday maintained that he only told the truth.

“The truth, definitely, hurts. My statement was based on the December 2015 statistics of the PNP (Philippine National Police) that Davao has the highest incidence of murder and second highest in rape,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

"The people of Davao either know it but tolerate it out of fear or they've actually believed the lie that was fed to them that Davao City is the safest city in the world," he added. —With a report from Amita Legaspi/KG, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT