Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV arrived in President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown Davao City this morning to once again face more legal woes.
This time, it’s to plead “not guilty” to libel cases filed against him by President Duterte’s son Paolo Duterte and the president’s son-in-law Manses Carpio, reports state.
Trillanes arrived at the Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 54 at 9am for his arraignment, News 5 Aksyon reported.
A libel case was filed in September, a year after Trillanes accused Paolo and Carpio of corruption. The senator had said in a radio interview that the two allegedly extorted ride-hailing companies for money, ABS-CBN News reported.
Paolo filed another libel complaint against Trillanes in the same month for alleging that the presidential son was involved in drug smuggling.
Trillanes was issued four warrants of arrest in relation to the libel cases but posted bail worth PHP96,000 (US$1,839.82) in December, the Philippine Star reported.
The bad blood between Trillanes and the presidential son goes much deeper. Trillanes also accused Paolo, then Davao City’s vice mayor, of being part of a drug triad.
According to Rappler, Trillanes’ visit today marked his first time in Davao City since he was declared a persona non grata there in February last year.
Davao City is President Duterte’s hometown and his family continues to be influential in the area.
This is just one of the legal battles Duterte and his supporters have served to Trillanes.
Just on Friday, the senator was charged with grave threats for allegedly saying that he was going to “finish” a pro-Duterte Labor undersecretary.
He also faces a rebellion case for his involvement in the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege against then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Former President Benigno Aquino III had granted Trillanes amnesty for this but Duterte revoked it in late August.
Paolo filed the libel case against Trillanes just days after the voiding of his amnesty was made public.
Tough to be on the bad side of those in power.
