The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed a case of kidnapping with serious illegal detention against former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and at least three others in connection with the supposed destabilization plot against President Duterte, it was revealed Friday.
In its letter-complaint before the Department of Justice (DoJ), the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) also named as respondents Father Albert Alejo, a Catholic priest; lawyer Jude Sabio, counsel of self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Edgar Matobato; a certain “Sister Ling,” who is allegedly from the Convent of the Cannussian Sisters in Makati City; and other John and Jane Does.
The complaint, dated August 15, stemmed from the sworn statement submitted by a Davao-based businesswoman named Guillermina Barrido, 43, to the office of the CIDG-Major Crimes Investigation Unit (MCIU) at Camp Crame in Quezon City. A copy of the complaint was provided to the media on Friday.
Citing Barrido’s sworn statement, the PNP-CIDG said the complainant was detained at the Convent of the Canussian Centers in Makati City and Holy Spirit Convent in Quezon City from December 6 to 21, 2016 where she was allegedly forced to sign a ready-made affidavit “to destroy the reputation” of the President.
“It is clear from the foregoing that herein respondents feloniously, maliciously and intentionally put the complainant under detention for 14 days (sic) in order to force her to do something against her will,” the PNP-CIDG said in its complaint which was signed by Police Lieutenant Colonel Domingo Soriano, head of the CIDG-Major Crimes Investigation Unit (MCIU).
It was not clear in the complaint, however, who “forced” Barrido to sign the supposed affidavit.
But PNP-CIDG noted that Barrido had also executed an affidavit on April 7, 2017 implicating Trillanes, Sabio, Fr. Alejo and several John and Jane Does in an alleged propaganda “to discredit and destroy the reputation” of the President.
The PNP-CIDG said Barrido’s 2017 affidavit contained allegations against the President related to several crimes involving murder, corruption, illegal drugs and the supposed existence of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) to be posted on social media by a certain “Myra.”
The PNP-CIDG noted that Barrido’s 2017 affidavit has an “impression” that a similar modus operandi was used by the respondents to supposedly lure Peter Joemel Advincula alias Bikoy to discredit the President, as what was indicated in the latter’s complaint against several opposition personalities in the supposed “Oplan Sodoma” destabilization plot against Duterte.
Advincula is the man who claimed to be the hooded figure behind the anti-Duterte “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos but later became one of the respondents and witnesses in the sedition raps filed against Vice President Leni Robredo and 37 others in July over the said expose videos.
The CIDG is also the one handling the said sedition raps.
With this, the PNP-CIDG said Barrido “volunteered” her affidavit to form part of Advincula’s complaint.
The PNP-CIDG further stressed Barrido’s affidavit would “bolster” Advincula’s claim that “it became a modus operandi of the same group in getting people and [allowing] them to surface in social media to discredit a legitimate government.”
Trillanes, however, denied having a hand in the alleged kidnapping of the Davao businesswoman, saying he did not even meet Barrido personally.
“Never ko na meet ‘yan si Guillerma Arcillas or Barrido. San ka makakita na pari at madre daw ang kasama ko sa pagkidnap at sa kumbento pa daw s’ya dinetain,” Trillanes said in a text message.
He also questioned why case was filed three years after the alleged kidnapping transpired.
Trillanes reiterated that it was Barrido who volunteered to testify against the Chief Executive in exchange for money. But they found the narrative doubtful and turned down her offer.
“Tapos [nang] hindi nabigyan ng pera, bumaliktad,” he recalled.
Trillanes said the charges were “clearly a harassment case and persecution of Duterte against his critics.” (Martin Sadongdong, Vanne Terrazola)
