QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the cases of espionage and treason filed against former President Benigno Aquino III and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for lack of probable cause.
The espionages cases were in connection with the back-channel talks conducted by Trillanes with China as former President Aquino’s envoy.
“Conspiracy exists when two or more persons come to an agreement concerning the commission of felony and decide to commit it. Having resolved against the individual culpability of President Aquino and Senator Trillanes, the conspiracy theory advanced by complainants must therefore fail,” the resolution dated Feb. 24 read.
“Wherefore the present complaint is dismissed,” it added.
The Ombudsman, in its 16-page resolution, said that “backchannel negotiations with China cannot be construed as ‘giving aid to (an) enemy.’”
“As a resident of the intense stand-off in April and May 2012 between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the Scarborough Shoal, Pres. Aquino’s action of exploring means of peacefully settling the on-going issue with China was for the interest of the Philippines,” the Ombudsman said in the resolution.
The resolution said that it was an “inherent presidential power to pursue negotiations with other states.”
It noted that Senator Trillanes “merely acted under President Aquino’s instruction to negotiate with Chinese representatives in order to ease the escalating tension between the two States.
“While there is an on-going territorial dispute over certain areas in the West Philippine Sea between China and the Philippines, this does not make China an enemy of our country. The Philippines still has bilateral and diplomatic relations with China,” it added.