(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday defended his son-in-law from Senator Antonio Trillanes’ allegations he was linked to the alleged Davao Group involved in illegal transactions with the Bureau of Customs, while disowning the estranged wife of his son Paolo who was being linked to smuggling activities.
According to the President, Mans Carpio, the husband of his daughter Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, was seen in the BoC headquarters because he was a lawyer who represents clients.
“Ito naman kay Mans, I don’t apologize for him because he’s a lawyer,” he said.
The President echoed Carpio’s own statement.
“I represent many clients who have transactions with the Bureau of Customs. It is my job as a lawyer to appear before government agencies for and on behalf of my principals,” he had said in a Facebook post.
He also called Trillanes a “desperate rumormonger who happens to be a senator.”
“She is not my daughter”
Reacting to allegations that Lovelie Sumera, the estranged wife of President Duterte’s son, Davao Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, had transactions with fixer Mark Taguba in the BoC, the President said “she is not my daughter.”
“Itong babaeng pumupunta diyan, excuse me..Diyan ako nagkasugat sa puso,” the President said, noting that Sumera eloped with his son when he was only 18 years old.
He added that Sumera has been separated from his son Paolo for over ten years already.
