Duterte supporters file criminal raps vs Trillanes

MANILA, Philippines — Vocal supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday filed criminal raps against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his speeches that allegedly "incite injury" to the chief executive.

A group of lawyers trooped to the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office to file sedition, inciting coup d' etat, and inciting undue injury to the government complaints against the staunch Duterte critic.

Sedition is defined in Article 139 of the Revised Penal Code as a crime "committed by persons who rise publicly and tumultuously in order to attain by force, intimidation or by other means outside of legal methods."

Atty. Manuelito Luna serves as counsel for the complainants who are lawyers Eligio Mallari, Glenn A. Chong, Nestor Ifurung, Jacinto Paras, Eduardo Bringas and Nasser Marohomsalic, and Louis Biraogo.

They argue before the state prosecutors that: "Trillanes not only repeatedly uttered seditious words or speeches and unabatedly circulated scurrilous libels against the President, which tend to disturb the public peace, but also repeatedly incited others to inflict any hate or revenge upon his person (Art. 142, in relation to Art. 139 (3), R.P.C.; 1st mode of commission); he also committed Conspiracy or Proposal to Commit Coup d’ etat when he stated in his privilege speech."

Senate speech vs Duterte

According to the complainants, Trillanes "uttered seditious words," "circulated scurrilous libels against Duterte," and "committed conspiracy or proposal to commit coup d' etat" in his October 3 speech at the the Senate.

The transcript, as provided by the complainants is as follows: “So ito ngayon sagot. Kung makikita ‘to ng mgasundalo, M60 machine gun anggagamitinsa ‘yo. Marami-rami ito, maubos magazine kung P40 million hinahanap mo, Mr. Duterte."

(So here’s the answer now. If the soldiers could see this, they will use an M60 machine gun on you. These are many. The magazines will be emptied if you’re looking for P40 million, Mr. Duterte.)

The complainants also said that the lawmaker caused "undue injury" to the chief executive "through evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence, for irresponsibly and recklessly and continuously accusing sans evidence,that the President is keeping over P2 billion in bank accounts and/or amassing illegally-acquired wealth."

On October, Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang walked back on his earlier statement that the Office of the Ombudsman received supposed bank transactions of Duterte.

In a statement,  Carandang maintained that his office “has observed confidentiality” concerning the investigation on Duterte and his family's alleged unexplained wealth when the latter was mayor of Davao City.

“Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang maintains that the Office of the Ombudsman has observed confidentiality in the Ombudsman investigation on the complaint against then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, which complaint was filed, in fact, even before the 2016 elections,”  the statement reads.

Luna also filed graft and corruption or betrayal of public trust against Carandang over the statement. The complaint was filed before the Office of the President.

Tindig Pilipinas speech

The  complainants also want Trillanes charged for his speech on October 14 at the launch of Tindig Pilipinas where the lawmaker encouraged the public to sign a petition drive to urge Duterte to open his financial records.

Trillanes, in succeeding interviews, said that the petition-signing drive "is not a destabilization attempt against the administration," but is, instead, an information drive on the issue.

The complainant pointed out that the senator's "credibility" in defending the Tindig Pilipinas signature drive should be doubted due to his "record of major involvement in coup d' etat or destabilizaiton attempts."

To recall, Trillanes rallied some 300 soldiers to take over Oakwood Premiere in Makati City and demand the resignation of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several military officials.

The complainants said: "Unquestionably, Trillanes’ actions constitute criminal conduct or offenses defined and penalized by the laws, and his being a senator is no excuse for his transgressions."

"Having endangered the life of State and its people,Trillane sshould bear all the probable and logical consequences of his acts," they added.