Trillanes wants transfer of Binay’s damage suit to court outside Makati
SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV asked the Supreme Court’s Office of the Court Administrator (OCAD) to transfer the trial of the P200-million damage suit filed against him and several others by Vice President Jejomar Binay from Makati to another court to prevent a miscarriage of justice.
In a two-page letter to Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Trillanes said, “there are numerous courts in Metro Manila before which a fair and impartial trial can be conducted without any great inconvenience on the part of the parties and/or their counsels.”
Aside from Trillanes, also included in the suit are Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, members of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, Caloocan City Rep. Eric Erice, Atty. Renato Bondal, Engr. Mario Hechanova and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Binay, in his damage suit, said the respondents are “maligning his good name and reputation” due to their political ambitions in the 2016 elections.
The case has been assigned to Judge Elpidio Calis of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 133.
Trillanes, in his letter to Marquez, said he would not get a fair trial in Makati because the Binays “lorded over the City of Makati since 1986.”
“The power, influence and or resources of plaintiff in Makati City, despite the suspension of his son, is still immense and overbearing considering the fact that plaintiff is currently the Vice President of the Republic with two of his daughters serving as Senator and Congresswoman,” Trillanes said.
He added that the local government of Makati also provides logistical and financial supports to the government’s prosecutorial arm and the courts in their area.
“While personally, defendant believes that this would not dissuade said officers from performing their duties in accordance with the law, it is best that any possible perception of bias, prejudice or partiality be completely avoided,” the Senator added.
