Trillanes scores blogger for posing outside De Lima’s office: ‘It’s a sick joke’

Senator Antonio Trillanes on Wednesday scored Thinking Pinoy blogger RJ Nieto for posing outside the office of Senator Leila de Lima, who is presently detained for drug-related charges.

“It’s a sick joke. Natutuwa kayo, nagdidiwang kayo sa isang taong nakakulong,” Trillanes told Nieto during the Senate public information committee hearing on fake news.

“I wouldn’t wish that to anyone, pero ito nagdidiwang kayo eh. That’s my point. Hindi necessary 'yan. You can speak your mind out, you can promote Duterte, explain his policies pero those things are not necessary. That’s my point,” Trillanes said.

Nieto, along with a certain Mike Acebedo Lopez, shared photos of them taken outside the Senate office of De Lima, which had the numbers 222, the number of days that she had been detained.

Lopez, who is also present at the Senate committee hearing, said their posts are “open to interpretation.”

“That’s my own post and I don’t have to tell you how I interpret it,” Lopez told Trillanes.

Asked whether they would apologize to De Lima, Nieto said: “No, masaya kaming naka-detain siya and I’m entitled to my own political opinion.”

“Yes, you are entitled to your own sick opinion,” Trillanes replied.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also called out Nieto for “disrespecting” a member of the Senate.

“I am very disturbed that a resource person invited by the Senate has disrespected a member of the Senate and right at her place of work,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said Nieto and Lopez appeared to be “gloating over the continuing misfortune” of De Lima.

A press statement sent from the office of De Lima said they take “serious offense at the discourteous behavior” of Nieto and Lopez.

“The Senate and its members, along with their respective, hardworking and decent employees, deserve respect and courtesy from the public, including their visitors whom we welcome with hospitality,” they said. 

“Even if we may have differences in views and opinions, we expect each and every one of us to observe and adhere to a basic modicum of professionalism at all times. Rudeness should never have a room in our democratic society,” De Lima’s office added.

De Lima has been detained at the custodial center of the Philippine National Police since February over her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary. —KG/RSJ, GMA News