Former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes shared a political advertisement they were supposed to release during the 2016 national elections, which was allegedly blocked by the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte amid discussions related to the Tacloban shooting.
On Wednesday, June 24, Trillanes posted a 32-second video featuring children questioning Duterte’s qualifications as a presidential candidate, citing his use of foul language, violent rhetoric and remarks perceived as objectifying women, among others.
The video also showed Duterte making an obscene hand gesture, commonly interpreted as expressing “f*** ***.”
“Ito po ba ang gusto niyong maging halimbawa para sa amin?” one of the kids in the advertisement asked.
Trillanes resurfaced the old video and linked it to the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, which was allegedly perpetrated by a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old.
The incident left three students dead and at least 20 others injured.
“Ito ‘yung political ad na nilabas namin nung 2016 campaign pero hinarang ng kampo ni Duterte. Ngayon, alam [niyo] na ang epekto ng isang violent environment sa mga bata,” Trillanes said on Facebook.
Duterte was known for his strong and often controversial rhetoric during his presidency, including statements directed at drug users and other alleged criminals.
He also spoke publicly about shoot-to-kill directives in several speeches.
His administration oversaw the anti-illegal drugs campaign, which has been the subject of international scrutiny, with Duterte now facing proceedings before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Meanwhile, the advertisement resurfaced as one of the points of discussion during Congressional hearings on the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. Sen. Bong Go said Duterte was “hurt” by the ad.
The network’s franchise was ultimately not renewed, resulting in job losses for thousands of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What we know about Tacloban shooting
The Tacloban City school shooting was allegedly perpetrated by two teenagers, with police saying the attack had been “planned” as early as April or May.
Authorities said the 14-year-old suspect, who allegedly fired at least 33 shots during the incident, had been playing “GoreBox,” a sandbox game described by its developers as a “chaotic, physics-driven sandbox game where creativity meets unrestrained destruction.”
The game carries an R18+ rating due to depictions of extreme violence, although its Android version reportedly includes an option to reduce violent content.
Authorities have since imposed a temporary ban on “GoreBox” as a “precautionary measure,” saying they could not rule out the possibility that online content may have contributed to the minor suspects’ actions.
Police also said that the 14-year-old suspect had violent videos featured on his social media account before the attack.
Investigators further said the two teenagers had an intended target. However, after discovering that the individual was not at the school, the suspects allegedly opened fire on the classrooms they passed along the corridors.
The complaints include three counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder and multiple counts of serious physical injuries.
Meanwhile, the 14-year-old suspect has been turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office and is set to undergo the appropriate government-mandated intervention program.
