Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV condemned the action of the authorities against the salesman who allegedly called President Rodrigo Duterte ‘buang’ or insane.
The salesman identified as Reynaldo C. Orcullo, 41, a resident of Brgy Triangulo, Nasipit town, Agusan del Norte was facing cybercrime charges for his Facebook comment against President Duterte.
READ MORE: Salesman in Mindanao facing cybercrime charges for calling President Duterte ‘buang’
According to Trillanes, Orcullo is only trying to exercise his freedom of speech and expression.
The known critic of Duterte also strongly believes that the salesman is telling the truth, so his comments should not be considered as libelous.
“That is clearly illegal and against the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and of expression. Besides, telling the truth is never libelous,” Trillanes said who also called President Duterte crazy before.
“I call on the PNP to exercise due restraint and sound judgment in the performance of their duty, especially in these trying times,” he added.
Statement re: arrests of duterte critics in social media: pic.twitter.com/I1YLcuAa6r
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) May 15, 2020
Trillanes even posted a short tweet addressed to the President.
“Buang ka na, palpak ka pa! #BuangSiDuts,” he tweeted.
Buang ka na, palpak ka pa!#BuangSiDuts
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) May 15, 2020
Yesterday, Human Rights Lawyer Chel Diokno also called out the authorities for what they did to Orcullo, saying that law enforcers’ job is to protect the people and not Duterte.
“Pano aarestuhin ng PNP itong salesman na minura ang Pangulo kung Pangulo nga mismo e minura ang senador, Santo Papa, ang Simbahan, at napakarami pang iba? Hindi trabaho ng PNP protektahan ang Pangulo sa opinyon ng taumbayan. Ang trabaho nyo e protektahan ang taumbayan,” Diokno said.