Trillanes told to explain why he should not be cited for contempt

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV presides the Senate hearing on China reclamation in the West Philippine Sea on May 7. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

The Court of Appeals has ordered Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to explain why he should not be cited in contempt of court for accusing two of its justices of receiving P25 million each in exchange for stopping the implementation of the suspension order against Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay.

In its resolution dated July 28, the CA special 5th division ordered Trillanes and Binay to appear before the court on Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.

Binay filed a contempt plea before the Court of Appeals against Trillanes for hurling “baseless” accusations against Justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Francisco Acosta of receiving P25 million each to stop his six-month preventive suspension over alleged overpricing in the construction of Makati City Hall Building II.

“Be that as it may, we believe that there are matters to be clarified, hence, there is a need to set a hearing to allow parties to be heard and for this court to propound clarificatory questions to the parties or their witnesses,” the appeals court said in a resolution written by Associate Justice Stephen Cruz.

Concurring in the resolution are Associate Justices Justices Ramon Paul Hernando and Maria Luisa Quijano-Padilla.