Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 16) — A group of lawyers on Thursday filed a criminal complaint against Senator Antonio Trillanes over a privilege speech he delivered at the Senate on October 3.
The complaint was filed by lawyers Eligio Mallari, Glenn Chong, Nestor Ifurung, Jacinto Paras, and Nasser Marohomsalic before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.
Trillanes is facing graft, inciting to sedition, and proposal to commit coup d’ etat.
“Hindi lahat ng speeches na binibigay ng isang senador or congressman ay makakalibre siya sa possible criminal charges, at ito na ang very good example. Siniraan nang siniraan ang presidente even without evidence” said Atty. Manny Luna, counsel for the complainants.
[Translation:Not all speeches delivered by a senator or congressman should be exempted from possible criminal charges, and this is a very good example. He repeatedly slung mud at the President even without evidence.]
The senator, however, dismissed the complaints, saying the harassment made by “Duterte minions” would not deter him.
“Sorry, but I remain focused on finding ways to continue to expose Duterte’s murders, corruption and secret bank accounts,” Trillanes said in a statement Thursday.
The lawyers said Trillanes committed graft when he made false claims against President Rodrigo Duterte causing undue injury to the President and the government.
They said the senator violated Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits “causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government…through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”
This is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and perpetual disqualification from public office.
In his speech, Trillanes accused Duterte of having bank transactions amounting to P2 billion from 2006 to 2015, which was not reflected in the then Davao Mayor’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
The complainants said this was seditious as he inflicted hate upon the President.
Article 139 of the Revised Penal Code defines sedition as inflicting any act of hate or revenge upon a public officer or employee and “despoil, for any political or social end, any person, municipality or province, or the National Government.”
Sedition is punishable by six years in prison and a fine of up to P10,000.
Trillanes had been charged of inciting sedition, and later rebellion, in connection with the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
Prior to the senator’s speech, Duterte also challenged anybody to shoot him if they find more than P40 million in his bank account.
Trillanes then said that soldiers can now shoot the President using their M60 guns, which complainants believed was a proposal to commit coup d’ etat.
Article 136 of the Revised Penal Code prohibits conspiracy and proposal to commit coup d’etat, rebellion or insurrection, with penalty of six years of jail time and up to P8,000 in fines.
CNN Philippines’ Correspondent AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
