By CHITO CHAVEZ
A Quezon City court issued yesterday arrest warrants against former Senator Antonio Trillanes 1V and 10 others for their alleged conspiracy to commit sedition over the viral “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos that linked President Duterte’s family and supporters to the illegal drug trade.
The clerk of Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 138 said the orders were issued Thursday and some of the accused have posted the P10,000 bail.
Father Flaviano Villanueva and Father Albert Alejo have already posted bail and their warrants were recalled.
The accused were charged over allegations of respondent Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy” that members of the opposition plotted to oust Duterte by linking him and his family to the illegal drug trade.
Duterte’s alleged drug links spread through the “Ang Totoong Narcolist,” a series of videos that went viral online, which featured a hooded figure known as “Bikoy”.
On January 27, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a complaint against Trillanes, Advincula and several others, accusing them of conniving in “circulating malicious and scurrilous libels to inflict an act of hate” against the President.
Trillanes has denied involvement in the supposed acts to discredit Duterte, saying the charges were meant to send a “chilling message” to the opposition.
The former senator maintained on Friday that he will not hide from the charges filed against him.
In a brief statement sent to Senate reporters, Trillanes said he is currently out of the country for a series of engagements and he plans to post bail when he arrives in Manila next week.
“I will face this case just as I have faced all the other harassment cases Duterte’s minions have filed against me,” Trillanes said.
Advincula is also set to post bail next week, according to his counsel, lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon.
“Peter Advincula will voluntary surrender and would go to MTC QC on Monday or Tuesday to post bail,” said Gadon in a statement.
In the meantime, Gadon won’t disclose where Advincula is.
“Bikoy is in a safe house somewhere in the north as he just came from Baguio and La Trinidad to appear in the reading of a judgment in his case in La Trinidad which was dismissed,” the lawyer said.
Other accused in the case are former Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto, Joel Saracho, Boom Enriquez, Yolanda V. Ong, Vicente Romano III, Jonnel P. Sangalang, and a certain Monique.
Other prominent respondents, including Vice President Leni Robredo, Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros and former Senator Bam Aquino, were cleared of charges. (With reports from Jeffrey Damicog & Vanne Terrazola)
