MANILA – The Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office has found probable cause to indict Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for inciting to sedition over his statements against President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a resolution dated Jan. 29 but was released publicly on Tuesday night, Assistant City Prosecutor Reynaldo Ticyado said the evidence was “sufficient to establish the existence of probable cause” against Trillanes.
The inciting to sedition rap against Trillanes stemmed from his statements against Duterte after the latter issued a proclamation revoking his amnesty in connection with his involvement in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and the 2007 Manila Penisula Siege.
The complaint that was investigated was filed by Labor undersecretary Jacinto Paras, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commissioner Manuelito Luna and lawyers Nasser Marohomsalic and Eligio Mallari.
“Trillanes issued statements to the media bearing words tending to instill a feeling of hatred and distrust towards the President of the Philippines and the Government that he represented and which disseminated to the general public thereby creating a danger of breach of peace and public order,” Ticaydo said.
Following the revocation of his amnesty, Trillanes has lambasted Duterte by calling the President a dictator and for not respecting the institution with the revival of an already dismissed rebellion and coup d’état cases against him.
“Hindi siya rumerespeto sa institusyon kaya ganito tayo. Kung ‘yang mga ordinaryong tao pinapatay, ‘yung mga kritiko niya ikukulong, so ganyan ang kalakaran sa Pilipinas ngayon,” said Trillanes as quoted.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor dismissed a complaint for proposal to commit coup d’état against Trillanes for what he found was an insufficiency of the accusers’ allegation.
Trillanes already faces another case for inciting to sedition before a Pasay court over a privilege speech where he allegedly made a suggestion for the military to shoot Duterte./PN
