Manila Bulletin
'Old news': Drilon answers Duterte tirades amid Senate probe on DOH purchases
President Rodrigo Duterte questioned Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon about his alleged connections to convicted businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
Duterte's remarks, made during a taped briefing, intensified his criticism of senators investigating the Department of Health's (DOH) purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President challenged Drilon to explain his relationship with Napoles, the central figure in the pork barrel scam, and questioned alleged campaign contributions.
Drilon dismissed the claims as "old news," denying any involvement or continued ties with Napoles, Mabilog, or retired police general Marcelo Garbo Jr., whom Duterte also linked to illegal drugs.
These allegations against Drilon by Duterte echo claims made in 2017 by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, which Drilon had previously denounced as "outright black propaganda" against administration critics.
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