MANILA – Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is expecting President Rodrigo Duterte “to rant and lie” during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
“Particularly, he would create a false bleak scenario for our country to justify the need for Charter Change and shift to federalism as soon as possible,” Trillanes said in a statement on Friday.
Duterte will also rant about illegal drugs, according to the opposition senator.
“But, of course, I don’t expect him to utter a single word about the P6.4-billion shabu case,” said Trillanes.
He was referring to the smuggling of the P6.4-billion illegal drugs from China through the Bureau of Customs allegedly involving Duterte’s son Paolo and son-in-law Manse Carpio.
For his part, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said Duterte’s annual address must tackle how his administration can address the plight of poor Filipinos affected by high prices of goods due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
“Sana pag-usapan ang mga solusyon sa pagtaas presyo sa SONA ng Pangulo. Suspindihin na itong excise tax sa petrolyo para mabigyan ng ginhawa ang mga pamilyang nalulunod sa gastos,” said Aquino. “Mula sa puso daw ang SONA ngayon. Sana mula sa isang pusong may malasakit sa mahihirap na Pilipinong nasasagasaan ng mga programa ng gobyerno.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan shared the same sentiment, saying “Sana masasabi niya sa taumbayan paano niya masosolusyonan ang problema ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin, paano madadagdagan ang kita ng mamamayan, at paano mabibigyan ng trabaho ang taumbayan.”
Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, meanwhile, said the President will talk about his “favorite topcis” – peace and order and the antidrug efforts.
Angara also expects Duterte to talk “a bit about the last two years and the bills he has signed into law – like free tuition, school feeding, anti-hazing, [and] free irrigation.”
“Perhaps also a bit on the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the peace process in Mindanao,” Angara added.
Rep. Jerry Trenas of Iloilo City said he looks forward to “more programs on Build Build Build for Western Visayas” on next week’s SONA.
This would create more employment opportunities for people in the region, added Trenas.
Rep. Sharon Garin of AAMBIS-OWA party-list, on the other hand, hopes Duterte to talk about “his opinions and plans on the issues” regarding the Bangsamoro Organic Law and federalism./PN
