DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 54 on Friday issued four warrants of arrest against opposition Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV for libel charges filed by presidential son Paolo Z. Duterte and his brother-in-law lawyer Manases Carpio.
Davao City RTC Branch 54 Judge Melinda Alconcel-Dayanghirang released the arrest orders which have been given to the Davao City Police Office and Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for implementation.
Dayanghirang said Trillanes can post bail of P24,000 for each case or a total of P96,000 for his temporary release.
The case stemmed from Trillanes’ alleged defamatory statement in a radio interview last year against the complainants.
In their complaints, in an interview of DYAB Cebu teleradyo on Sept. 8, 2017, the senator dragged their names on the extortion franchise issue of Uber, saying that they conspired with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuison.
The complaint said Trillanes was not contented with the Uber issue and also involved their names in the corruption and extortion issue in the Road Board and Department of Public Works and Highways.
It stated that their claims were attested by a certain Oscar Canino who also executed an affidavit saying he heard and watched the interview of Trillanes.
Complainants said Trillanes wanted to destroy their reputation since they are members of the First Family and the respondent is one of the critics of President Duterte.
Duterte and Carpio filed a civil case against Trillanes last December 2017 which was raffled off to the Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 15 under the sala of Judge Mario Duaves. (Armando Fenequito Jr.)
