Lawyer urges Trillanes to apologize for ‘recklessly’ linking people to CPP
Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer on Friday called on former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to apologize to people whose lives he “recklessly endangered” due to his recent statement allegedly linking individuals with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“In the current political climate, being red-tagged is like being placed on an order of battle, or having your name listed in a death warrant. Sen. Trillanes should promptly correct this inexcusable error and apologize to everyone whose lives he has recklessly endangered,” lawyer Rommel Bagares said in an interview.
On Thursday, Trillanes said he and former Magdalo Congressman Gary Alejano filed a communication with the ICC on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war ahead of leftist groups.
In his statement, Trillanes mentioned that “Bagares and the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) groups filed their communications with the ICC only around mid to late 2018.”
But Bagares denied he ever filed an ICC communication on behalf of the communist group.
“I never filed a communication with the ICC for and on behalf of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front),” he said.
“[I]t is irresponsible of Mr. Trillanes and his staff to even accuse wholesale people of being communists, at a time when persons identified as such are being killed, and it does not matter whether they are lawyers, doctors, or human rights workers,” he added.
Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño criticized Trillanes for allegedly red-tagging the families of EJK victims, who filed a communication with the ICC in 2018.
“It was the mothers and family members of the EJK victims of Duterte’s drug war who filed with the ICC through the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL). Pls don’t red tag them,” Casiño told the former senator over Twitter.
It was the mothers and family members of the EJK victims of Duterte's drug war who filed with the ICC through the National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL). Pls don't red tag them @TrillanesSonny.
— Teddy Casiño (@teddycasino) December 17, 2020
But Trillanes, in a reply, said: “I did not mention in my tweet that the mothers of the victims are CPP/NPA/NDF. I believe they are not communists. How sure are you that the CPP/NPA/NDF did not file any other communication with the ICC, are you in touch with them?”
In response, the former Bayan Muna solon said that as far as he knows, it was only Trillanes, the mothers of EJK victims assisted by NUPL, and several human rights groups who filed ICC communications on the drug war.
“You (Trillanes) are the one alleging the CPP-NPA-NDF also did. Please don’t shift the burden of proving this to me,” Casiño added.
‘Kin of EJK victims, Bagares not communists’
Trillanes answered Casiño and said it was based on his “impeccable intel sources” that a communication was filed by the CPP.
Well, based on my impeccable intel sources, nagfile ang CPP/NPA/NDF; but let me categorically state that the mothers of the EJK victims are not communists.
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) December 17, 2020
“[B]ut let me categorically state that the mothers of the EJK victims are not communists,” he stressed.
In a separate tweet, Trillanes also denied linking Bagares to the communist movement.
“First, let me clarify that Atty. Bagares is not a communist. I never said that in my tweet,” he said.
First, let me clarify that Atty. Bagares is not a communist. I never said that in my tweet. However, he is a long time law partner of Sec. Harry Roque. Therefore, Atty. Bagares should not be part of any coalition re the ICC case as he could compromise any info/legal strategy.
— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) December 18, 2020
