Trillanes to file plunder vs Gordon, libel vs Thinking Pinoy
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday announced he is set to file a plunder complaint against Sen. Richard Gordon and a libel case against blogger Rey Joseph Nieto.
During the Kapihan sa Senado, Trillanes revealed that he will file a plunder complaint against Gordon Wednesday morning at the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged corruption in the Philippine Red Cross.
Trillanes claimed that during Gordon’s first term as a senator, he allocated a portion of his pork barrel to the Red Cross while serving as the chairperson.
“Kung titingnan walang problema. Red Cross naman ‘yan eh kaso siya ‘yung chairman, siya ‘yung nag-di-disburse (If you look at it, there should be no problem. But he’s the chairman, he’s the one who’s in charge of disbursement),” he said.
Trillanes added he will submit letters to the Commission on Audit and the International Federation of Red Cross, requesting them to conduct independent audits on the funds of the Philippine Red Cross.
Last September, Trillanes criticized Gordon’s performance as the chairman of the investigations committee, saying he should have the mindset of an investigator, not of a defense lawyer.
The two had a heated argument at one of the committee hearings on the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu through Customs last May.
He accused Gordon of “lawyering” for some members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s family, particularly his son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and son-in-law Manases Carpio who were invited to the probe.
Trillanes also warned Senate President Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel that he “will work hard” to remove him from the Senate helm if Gordon is not sacked as the head of the powerful blue ribbon committee.
READ: Koko Pimentel on Trillanes’ ouster threat: Go ahead
Libel rap vs Nieto
Trillanes also said his lawyers are preparing a libel case against Nieto for his post that United States President Donald Trump supposedly called the senator “little narco.”
“Kasinungalingan talaga ‘yan (That’s a lie). it’s a propaganda operation,” he said.
The senator added: “‘Yung ‘narco’ na ni-label ako, para akong drug lord. Derogatory ‘yan. (The ‘narco’ label made me appear like a drug lord. That’s derogatory).”
Trump made no mention of Trillanes in the transcripts of the president’s press engagement.
READ: ‘No Trump mention of Trillanes’
Last week, Pilipino Star Ngayon editor-in-chief Al Pedroche and Philippine Star columnist Mary Ann Reyes wrote stories about the supposed remark wherein Trump allegedly called Trillanes “the little narco who met with Marco” after meeting with Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
In his column, Pilipino Star Ngayon editor-in-chief issued an apology over the uproar caused by his October 30 column.
Trillanes also revealed that Reyes and Nieto, a pro-administration blogger critical of Trillanes, are yet to heed to his call to apologize.
Last September, the senator also filed criminal charges, including libel, against Palace Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson for accusing Trillanes of having secret offshore accounts.
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