By Jeffrey G. Damicog
Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV was charged with inciting to sedition before the Pasay City Metropolitan Trial Court yesterday for urging soldiers to kill President Duterte over allegations of hidden wealth.
The Pasay Prosecutor’s Office filed the case against Trillanes after it found probable cause to charge him with inciting to sedition under Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code.
The case stemmed from the Oct. 3, 2017 privilege speech of Trillanes over the alleged hidden wealth of the President in which he stated: “Kung makikita ‘to ng mga sundalo, M60 machine gun ang gagamitin sa ‘yo. Marami-rami ito, maubos magazine kung R40 million hinahanap mo, Mr. Duterte.”
Though under the law, legislators cannot be held liable for any speech or debate made in the halls of Congress, prosecutors pointed out there are two requirements to avail this privilege: “First, the remarks must be made while the legislature is in session; the second, they must be made in connection with the discharge of official duties.”
“In this case, the utterences made against the President and his family regarding bank transactions and bank deposits in huge amounts, thereby imputing commission of graft and corruption against them, is entirely not in aid of legislation,” the resolution signed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Joahna Gabatino-Lim and approved by Acting City Prosecutor Benjamin Lanto said.