(Eagle News) — Labor Undersecretary Jacinto Paras has filed charges for grave threats against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
The charges filed before the Pasay Prosecutors Office stem from their heated exchange in the Senate on May 29.
The exchange took place after Paras filed inciting to sedition charges against Trillanes.
In his complaint, Paras accused Trillanes, a former military man, of issuing threats against him in four separate instances in thirty minutes in the Upper House.
According to Paras, Trillanes also uttered the words “Yayariin kita. Ang lakas ng loob mo,” and added that President Rodrigo Duterte could not be chief executive for life.
Reporters covering the Senate at that time also saw Trillanes rejecting the handshake of Paras, who was seen standing at the VIP gallery with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Trillanes, however, shook Duque’s hand.
The opposition senator was also seen pointing fingers at Paras.
Trillanes eventually walked away but returned several times.
Trillanes, however, has denied he intimidated the labor undersecretary.
He said he greeted Duque when he was “suddenly” greeted by Paras.
“Si Paras ay gusto akong kamayan. So sinabi ko sa kanya ang lakas naman ng loob mo, kinasu-kasuhan mo ko tapos kakamay-kamay ka sa ‘kin,” Trillanes said.
He said he later told the labor official “na kung ganyan kayo, siguraduhin niyo na panghabangbuhay na nasa poder ng kapangyarihan si Duterte. Yun ang sinabi ko.”
“Ang sinabi niya sige ipapatay na raw sya sabi ko ‘Huwag ka ngang umarte d’yan’,” he said.
