MANILA, Philippines — Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has not stopped. This time, the President said he will order his driver to slap the former senator.

During a taped public address aired Friday morning, Duterte was discussing budget adjustments after Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez disclosed that the government has already spent P352.7 billion for measures to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

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“‘Yan po ang ano ang problema natin ngayon. May cash ho tayo pero may — wala ho tayong authority gumastos ng ganun kalaki,” Dominguez said.

Duterte then mentioned Trillanes who earlier pointed out that the national government has over P4 trillion budget for 2020.

On March 16, Trillanes posted a tweet in response to Duterte asking his critics what have they done for the country except to criticize and talk.

“Four Trillion ang budget mo, tapos hahanapan mo ako ng ambag? Batukan kaya kita,” Trillanes said.

Duterte responded with a threat that he will have the former senator slapped.

“’Yang sinasabi ni isa pa itong walang alam na ugok itong si Trillanes. Nagsasalita ng trillion trillion, trillion ng hangin. Trillion of cubic meters of air in your head and it is too tight that is why para kang buang na nagsasalita ka ng trillon,” Duterte said.

“Puro porma, puro hambog, puro hamon at batukan mo raw ako? Sabihin ko sa driver ko sampalin ka. Ang driver ko na ang utusan ko. Ang tingin ko sa iyo, ka-level mo driver,” the President added.

INQUIRER.net has reached out to Trillanes for a comment but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

/MUF

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