Paolo Duterte camp: ‘No deal’ vs Trillanes

DAVAO CITY — The camp of former vice-mayor Paolo Duterte and presidential son-in-law Manases Carpio will pursue the four counts of libel against opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Rainier Madrid, legal counsel of the Duterte camp, said his clients said no settlement was reached with the Trillanes camp during the March 22 mediation meeting.

The case mediation was ordered by Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 54 Presiding Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang before the trial proper.

Madrid manifested that his clients refused to settle and wanted to go on trial.

Trillanes, on January 15, 2019, pleaded “not guilty” to the four counts of libel filed against him by Paolo and Carpio.

The libel charges stemmed from the Senator’s accusations linking the two to shabu smuggling, as well as alleged extortion of ride-sharing companies such as Uber.