Trillanes sues anew 18 ‘ex-Marines’ for cyberlibel
Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday filed cyberlibel complaints at the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the 18 alleged former Marines who had accused him of receiving $2 million from former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, supposedly to facilitate the entry into the country of International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators and bribe the tribunal at The Hague.
The ICC is where former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing trial for crimes against humanity in relation to the “war on drugs” domestic policy of his administration. Trillanes was among those who had filed the original complaint against Duterte at the ICC in the Netherlands.
Contradictory narratives
This is the second time the former senator has filed charges against the former soldiers and their handlers and supporters.
Trillanes first lodged perjury charges against the 18 men on March 6, along with cyberlibel complaints against their lawyer Levito Baligod, former Quezon City Rep. Mike Defensor, former broadcaster Jay Sonza, vlogger Cathy Binag, and Lorraine Badoy-Partosa, a former spokesperson for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
In an ambush interview upon his arrival at the DOJ in Manila, Trillanes said the new complaint covered the contradictory public narratives the “ex-Marines” had offered on the alleged deliveries of flood control kickbacks to Trillanes and other public officials and personalities.
But “it’s a lie, and they know that,” Trillanes said.
“Every time they come out and say something that is not true, I will sue them. Expect a case with every interview they make,” he added.
Since the first press conference of the “ex-Marines” on Feb. 24 and another one on March 5, they have appeared in interviews with Jessica Soho on GMA 7 and at the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) TV outfit.
Trillanes’ new complaint includes as respondents SMNI hosts Byron “Banat By” Cristobal, Oliver “Coach Oli” Cristobal, “Master Judea,” and Arjay “Pareng Arjay” Piodina—“for inducing and provoking the malicious claims,” said Trillanes.
‘Demolition job’
Trillanes called the accusations against him a “demolition job” designed to protect Duterte, and said the “Duterte camp” was behind the “ex-Marines” and their claims.
“They launched these lies a day before the Edsa People Power anniversary to agitate the public and sow discord, and during the pivotal ICC pretrial proceedings. This was a calculated strike designed to undermine the integrity of the proceedings and intimidate the ICC investigators and their witnesses,” Trillanes said on March 6.
In a press conference on Feb. 24, Baligod introduced the 18 individuals as former Marines who, in a joint affidavit, said they had served as “bagmen” in delivering P805 billion in purported kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects to several politicians, including President Marcos.
Aside from Trillanes, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima, Fr. Flavie Villanueva, Bureau of Corrections chief Gregorio Catapang Jr., and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año have filed separate suits for cyberlibel and perjury against the “ex-Marines” and Baligod.
Año also earlier filed a criminal complaint against Baligod, Defensor, and the 18 men at the DOJ for “unlawful means of publication and unlawful utterances,” in violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code.
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