DOJ indicts Trillanes

MANILA, Philippines, February 11 ------ The Department of Justice is bringing opposition figure former Sen. Antono Trillanes IV and members of the clergy to court for supposedly conspiring to discredit and eventually oust President Rodrigo Duterte by releasing a series of anonymously posted videos alleging the president, his family, and his allies had links to the illegal drug trade.

State prosecutors found probable cause to charge Trillanes and the following with violation of Article 141 of the Revised Penal Code or Conspiracy to Commit Sedition over the "Ang Totoong Narcolist" video blogs:

- Peter Joemel Advincula

- Jonnel Sangalang

- Yolanda Villanueva Ong

- Fr. Flaviano Villanueva

- Fr. Robert Alejo

- Vicente Romano III

- Joel Saracho

- Eduardo Acierto

- Boom Enriquez

- "Monique"

The Information or charge sheet is filed before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court. Under the Revised Penal Code, the crime of "conspiracy to commit sedition" is punishable by imprisonment of from two years, four months and a day to four years and two months and a fine of up to P2,000. Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said in a statement that the prosecution panel found "interlocking pieces of proof" that provide a "complete picture of the grand conspiracy between and among some respondents to create hatred or revenge against the president and his family with the end in view of toppling and destabilizing the current administration."

The "pieces of proof" are the following:

- The online publication of the Bikoy videos: Saracho acted as narrator, Enriquez as videographer, “Monique” as assistant, Ong and Romano as scriptwriters; Fr. Alejo prepared the JesCom, where the video was taken.

JesCom may refer to Jesuit Communications, which is in the Ateneo de Manila University campus. JesCom, according to its website, is the media arm of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus.

- Press conference of Advincula at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines on in May 2019

- Press statement of Acierto on March 25 where he accused the presidential family of drug links

- Admissions made by respondents: Advincula’s admission of Trillanes which bolster the “existence of a grand conspiracy between and among some respondents to commit the crime of sedition”

Source: philstar.com