Trillanes pleads not guilty to libel

Senator Antonio Trillanes (center) arrives in Davao City for the arraignment of the libel cases filed against him by presidential son Paolo Duterte and son-in-law Manases Carpio. INQUIRER MINDANAO / BARRY
OHAYLAN

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to four counts of libel before the Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The senator  personally  appeared in the arraignment in Davao City  on the four cases of libel that were filed against him by former city Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in-law, lawyer Manases Carpio.

“Apat itong kasong na-arraign ako kanina. Nag-plea ako ng ‘not guilty’,” Trillanes told reporters in an interview.

Duterte and Carpio filed the libel suits against Trillanes for accusing them of extorting money from Uber and other companies.

Duterte lodged another libel suit against Trillanes for linking him to the alleged smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of “shabu” from China in May last year.

Trillanes maintained that the libel charges were just “harassment” cases against him intended to “distract” him.

“Mga harassment cases lang ito talaga just to inconvenience me para ma-distract ako pero hindi ako madi-distract. I will continue with my mandate as a member of the opposition,” he said.

Last December, the Davao RTC Branch 54 ordered the arrest of Trillanes for libel.

The senator then posted a P96,000 bail for his temporary freedom before the Pasay City RTC Branch 118. /cbb

READ: Davao court orders Trillanes arrest for libel / Trillanes posts bail in Pasay for libel cases filed by Paolo Duterte