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Trillanes pleads 'not guilty' to 4 counts of libel

By Lilian Mellejor

January 15, 2019, 6:28 pm

<p>Senator Antonio Trillanes IV says he pleaded not guilty to four counts of libel in an interview with Davao reporters outside the Hall of Justice in Davao City after Tuesday's arraignment.</p>

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV says he pleaded not guilty to four counts of libel in an interview with Davao reporters outside the Hall of Justice in Davao City after Tuesday's arraignment.

DAVAO CITY -- Senator Antonio Trillanes IV pleaded "not guilty" to four counts of libel filed against him by former vice mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio.

Mabuti naman. Nag plead not guilty ako (It was good. I pleaded not guilty),” said Trillanes in an interview after an almost two-hour arraignment that started at about 8:30 a.m on Tuesday.

Wearing a black shirt with Magdalo's logo, Trillanes arrived at the Hall of Justice at around 8 a.m. at the Regional Trial Court Branch 54 under Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang, where he was met by some Magdalo supporters.

Lawyer Rainier Madrid, Paolo Duterte's legal counsel, said they welcome the senator's arraignment for the case to move forward.

“At least he has been arraigned at gumagalaw na yung mga kaso (and the cases can now proceed),” Madrid said, adding their camp intends to complete the cases in a year.

The next step would be a hearing for mediation tentatively scheduled on March 21.

But Madrid said the March 21 hearing may not proceed because of the pending petition by Trillanes to review the resolution of local prosecutors indicting the Senator. The DOJ review will take about 60 days, he added.

Madrid said it is up to the court if it orders both parties to go into mediation, adding it is also up to his clients, too, whether a public apology from Trillanes is acceptable.

Harassment

Madrid laughed off Trillanes’ characterization of the cases, saying they are mere harassments.

“As far as we are concerned these are not harassment — these are legal proceedings and by doing our job we intend to send him to jail. It’s our job to prove the cases. We feel he will be convicted,” he said.

Trillanes vowed the cases will not distract him from his Senate functions, saying he will continue to exercise his mandate as a member of the opposition.

Kailangan po natin sa isang demokrasya ang isang miyembro ng opposition laban sa pang aabuso at pagmamalabis (In a democracy we need a member of an opposition against abuse and harassment),” the senator said.

Nandito tayo sa Davao para harapin ito at ipakita natin na di natin tinatakbuhan o tinatalikuran ang mga ganitong hamon ((I am here in Davao to face the cases and show to all that I do not run away from these challenges),” Trillanes told reporters.

The senator's lawyers earlier asked the court to defer the arraignment, a move that the local court rejected.

Madrid said the hearings on the four counts of libel will be in Davao City and that their camp would oppose any request for transfer of venue.

Paolo filed three libel cases and Carpio pressed one libel charge against Trillanes over the latter’s alleged derogatory statements against the pair.

Trillanes dragged Paolo and Carpio's names into the PHP6.4-billion shabu smuggling issue and the Uber franchise application.

Trillanes had alleged on a dyAB Cebu radio interview that Paolo and Carpio connived with a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board official in Central Visayas in demanding a bribe in return for the approval of an Uber franchise. The senator also made statements on dzMM and CNN that both Paolo and Carpio found damaging.

Paolo and Carpio have repeatedly denied both allegations, even as far as appearing before a Senate inquiry where they strongly condemned the senator's accusations. (PNA)

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