Trillanes arraignment on sedition raps set Mar. 17

FILE: Reporters interview Senator Antonio Trilllanes IV, with Senator Risa Hontiveros (right), as he walks along the hallway of the Senate to meet Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to discuss the issues of his arrest on Tuesday (Sept. 4, 2018) after his amnesty has been revoked. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — The Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 138 on Tuesday set the arraignment of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his co-accused charged with the conspiracy to commit sedition on March 17.

In an order, Judge Kristine Grace Suarez said the failure of the accused to attend the arraignment shall cause the issuance of another warrant of arrest against him and the forfeiture of his bond.

In the same order, Suarez “recalled” the original warrant of arrest issued last February 13 against Trillanes after the former lawmaker posted a PHP10,000 bail.

On Monday, Trillanes’ co-accused whistleblower Peter Joemel “Bikoy” Advincula expressed his willingness to be a state witness but is not inclined to be covered by the government state witness protection program, his lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon said.

Advincula’s testimony in connection with the personalities behind the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” online video released during last year’s elections led to his indictment, along with Trillanes and several others for conspiracy to commit sedition.

Advincula has also posted bail for his temporary liberty for the charges.

The court issued arrest warrants against them in connection with conspiracy to commit sedition filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Aside from Trillanes and Advincula, also facing charges are Jonnel Sangalang, Yolanda Ong, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Fr. Albert Alejo, Vicente Romano III, film actor Joel Saracho, Eduardo Acierto, publicist Boom Enriquez, and a certain “Monique”.

Villanueva and Alejo have also posted bail.

Advincula implicated his co-accused in a plot to smear President Rodrigo Duterte and his family in a series of videos released during the campaign period last year.

The complaint alleged that Trillanes and his co-accused are involved in “circulating malicious and scurrilous libels and fabricating evidence against him and his immediate family members, making it appear that the President and his family are engaged in a drug trade syndicate, with no other purpose but to inflict an act of hate or revenge against the president and his immediate family members.”

The charges were approved by Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento upon the recommendation of the panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Laroza-Torrevillas and Assistant State Prosecutors Michael John Humarang and Gino Paolo Santiago.