/ AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
(Eagle News) – Former Vice-President Jejomar Binay feels “vindicated” after the Department of Justice filed a libel case against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his allegations that he and his family were involved in corruption.
The DOJ filed the libel case on Monday against Trillanes before the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC), citing media allegations the senator made in 2015 alleging that Binay and his family were involved in a “P100 million racket a year” in Makati City.
Trillanes claimed then that the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing will expose this alleged corruption of the Binay when he was still the mayor of Makati City.
Binay’s spokesperson, Joey Salgado, said that the libel indictment of Trillanes is a “vindication” for the former Vice-President.
“It confirms what we have been saying all along: that the Senate hearings were in aid of political demolition, not legislation,” Binay’s statement released by his spokesperson said.
“And Senator Trillanes hid behind his parliamentary immunity in order to pollute the people’s minds with lies as part of a well-orchestrated demolition job against former VP Binay,” the statement added.
Salgado said that the indictment of Trillanes also “exposes” him as a “fake crusader against fake news.”
“Apparently, fake news began as early as 2015 and Senator Trillanes was its pioneer. Kung pagbabatayan ang kasong isinampa ng DOJ, lumalabas na si Senator Trillanes ay nagkakalat ng fake news simula pa noong 2015. He deserves the unflattering title ‘father of fake news in the Philippines’,” he added.
The libel case was filed by Binay in September 2015.
The DOJ charged Trillanes of “defaming and maligning the reputation and causing the dishonor” of the former Vice-President.
The senator has a separate libel case pending before the Makati RTC Branch 142, for his allegations of corruption against former Makati mayor Jejomar “Junjun” Binay Jr., – the son of former Vice-President Binay.
Trillanes pleaded not guilty to the charge in September last year.
(Eagle News Service)