Trillanes files cyberlibel complaint vs Cayetano, Marcoleta, 18 ‘ex-Co bodyguards’

MANILA, June 26 ------ Former senator Antonio Trillanes filed Thursday a cyberlibel complaint against Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Rodante Marcoleta, and the 18 alleged ex-bodyguards of former lawmaker Zaldy Co, over their statements in a June 4 flood control probe.

During the proceedings led by Cayetano and Marcoleta, Co’s alleged aides accused more officials of receiving suitcases of supposed kickbacks from flood control projects. “Eto ay ukol doon sa kanilang rogue Blue Ribbon Committee hearing na ginawa nila at because of that, wala silang (Cayetano and Marcoleta) parliamentary immunity,” Trillanes said.

In his complaint, Trillanes noted the exchanges between Cayetano and Marcoleta and the 18 ex-bodguards. Last March, Trillanes also filed a cyberlibel complaint against the 18 ex-bodyguards following their press conference suitcases of cash allegedly given to the former lawmaker and other individuals such as Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima.

The suitcases of money are supposed to be linked to the flood control scam and the investigation being conducted by the International Criminal Court on the drug war of the Duterte administration. “Muli, inulit nila ang mga kasinungalingan nila na nagbigay sila ng male-maletang pera sa akin para daw sa ICC hindi po totoo iyon kaya bawat salita, bawat okasyon na sasabihin nila ang mga salitang iyon, magpa-file ako ng kaso sa kanila,” Trillanes said.

Among the statements made by Cayetano which Trillanes included in his complaint include the following supposedly libelous accusations and defamatory observations:

“... iba yung male-maleta kasi male-maleta implies bribery.”

“... it is also bad to pay people to make it appear na meron EJK kung wala, as a state policy ha...”

Trillanes also noted that Marcoleta’s statements insinuated that his connection with the ICC was “rapacious and traitorous” for supposedly betraying the Filipino people. “Ang nature po ng cyberlibel is bawat okasyon mo na sinasabi ang kasinungalingan na iyon, iyon ay one count,” Trillanes noted.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com