President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that Carl Angelo Arnaiz, the 19-year-old slain son of an overseas Filipino worker in Dubai, is his relative.
“So, meron diyan naga-sabotahe, at itong masasabi ko sa inyo…Isa diyan sa pinatay, relative ko,” he said on September 8 in his speech in an event in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
Duterte was not able to recall the name of Arnaiz so he turned to Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.
“Who’s that relative? My relative?” Duterte asked Go while still on the podium. He replied with the teenager’s full name.
In a text message sent to CNN Philippines, Go said Carlito, the father of Arnaiz, hails from Maasin, Southern Leyte, the hometown of Duterte’s mother, Soledad Roa-Duterte. Duterte’s family also lived in that town for a short time.
“There is an assumption that the Arnaiz family is distantly related to the Roas,” CNN Philippines quoted him.
ABS-CBN News tried to get a statement from the parents of Arnaiz about Duterte’s claim but according to a neighbor of the family, they are under in Department of Justice after they were placed under the Witness Protection Program.
Arnaiz was killed by policemen for allegedly shooting back at them after robbing a taxi in Caloocan.
Photo credit: Presidential Communications Office
Source: ABS-CBN News, Rappler, CNN Philippines
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