Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Incoming Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque did not throw hollow blocks but instead laughed off Thursday the tirade of Sen. Antonio Trillanes against him, saying he was apparently possessed by a bad spirit after he joined the Duterte Cabinet.
鈥淚tong si Cong. Roque, nasama lang kay Duterte, bigla na lang parang nasapian ng masamang espirito,鈥� Trillanes said.
(This Congressman Roque, he is suddenly acting like being possessed by evil spirit after joining the Duterte Cabinet.)
Sought for comment, Roque did not engage Trillanes in a word war even as he promised not to take it sitting down criticisms against him and the President.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 in line with Halloween. So let鈥檚 leave it at that,鈥� he said in his first Palace briefing.
Roque, who replaced Undersecretary Ernesto Abella, would formally assume his post on November 6.
On Monday, Roque gave a preview of how he would deal with critics of the administration.
鈥淏inibigyan ko na po ng notice 鈥榶ung mga walang hiya diyan na naninira lamang. Kung dati-rati hindi kayo nababato bagamat kayo鈥檡 nambabato, ngayon po maghanda na kayo dahil kung kayo鈥檡 nambato, hindi lang po bato itatapon ko sa inyo, hollow blocks,鈥� Roque said in an interview with Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson over the weekend.
(I鈥檓 giving notice to those shameless individuals who engage in slander. Beware now because your attacks will not go unanswered anymore. I will not only throw rocks at you 鈥� hollow blocks will also hit you.)
搁贰础顿:听Roque threatens to throw hollow blocks at stubborn critics
But on Thursday, he clarified his statement. He said his threat to聽throw hollow blocks at聽critics was not intended to the general聽public聽but a message specifically for the 鈥淒ie-hard Duterte Supporters鈥� or 鈥淒DS.鈥�
Interviewed over ABS-CBN 黑料社 Channel on Thursday, 聽 Roque聽explained聽that聽he was addressing聽Uson鈥檚 followers when the latter asked for聽his message聽to the聽DDS.
鈥淚 was addressing Mocha Uson. I聽was addressing聽the 5.5聽million followers of the Mocha Uson blog, these are the聽DDS. It was not really intended for anyone else other than the DDS,鈥澛爃e said.
鈥�(I was聽addressing)聽the Mocha Uson blog,聽not the general聽public. It was Mocha Uson interviewing聽me. I think that鈥檚 not聽clear聽to the public that they (media) used聽Mocha Uson video鈥�,鈥� he added.
Roque said he also made the remark to assure the DDS that he would聽 defend聽 Duterte聽 from聽 鈥渦njust criticisms鈥� even if he聽 did not聽 support聽 the latter鈥檚 presidential bid in the last May 2016 elections.