The chief presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, has dismissed as “mere publicity stunts” Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s continued stay in the Senate and claims of military surveillance. Panelo said Trillanes was “acting like an anxious puppy pretending to be a political target” as he challenged the former mutineer to “simply take legal action” to settle the issue. ADVERTISEMENT“His supposed arbitrary arrest, and now threat to his life, are but figments of his imagination … These are all publicity stunts of Trillanes not only to besmirch the reputation of the President, but also to milk publicity for himself,” Panelo said. President Duterte’s lawyer made the remarks a few days after Trillanes released surveillance footage of a car purportedly casing his house. Earlier, Malacañang dismissed Trillanes’ claims of surveillance, with presidential spokesperson Harry Roque even insinuating that the senator might be suffering from paranoia.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 21, 2018 23:37 UTC