Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, President Rodrigo Duterte, and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Composite

MANILA—Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Saturday said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is "entitled" to defend her father from critics.

This was after the President Rodrigo Duterte drew criticism from religious leaders for calling God "stupid."

"She's entitled to defend her dad," Trillanes told radio DZMM in an interview.

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

'Arrogance of power': Trillanes blasts Duterte for calling God 'stupid'

Earlier this week, Duterte's eldest daughter asked Filipinos not to listen to her father when he talks about religious texts.

"Please do not listen to him interpret the Bible or Quran, he is not a priest, a pastor or an imam. He is the President, listen only when he speaks about his work," the younger Duterte said in an Instagram post.

Sara Duterte: Don't listen to my father's interpretation of the Bible, Quran
Don't listen to Duterte? Sara's advice not applicable to dad, says Lacson

Trillanes said Duterte should promote goodwill as a statesman.

"Iba 'yun, Christian faith 'yung niyurakan ni Duterte. Di pwedeng ganu'n lang," the senator said.

"Presidente siya ng Pilipinas dapat ang pino-promote niya 'yung goodwill."

(That is different. He lambasted the Christian faith. It cannot be like that. He is the President of the Philippines, he should promote goodwill.)

SARA FOR PRESIDENT?

Trillanes also defended his previous remark that among Duterte's options to stay in power is to push Sara to run for senator in 2019 and president in 2022.

The opposition senator said his remarks were simply based on an "analysis" and maintained that there was nothing insulting about it.

"Based on analysis, there is nothing insulting about that and then she (Sara) went ballistic," Trillanes said.

The younger Duterte has dismissed Trillanes' remarks and asked him not to "bother" her.

"Leave me alone Senator Trillanes. The last time a person irked me, I made sure to make it difficult for him to bring me down," Sara Duterte said.

Sara Duterte blasts Trillanes: Leave me alone

The Davao City mayor has already expressed willingness to run for Congress in the upcoming midterm elections if it would help Davao City's development. 

'Everything is fluid': Will Sara Duterte run for Congress in 2019?

But as of that moment, she said she is still uncertain about taking a higher leap in politics.

bin picking