Quezon City court junks sedition case vs Trillanes, co-accused

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 138 junked the conspiracy to commit sedition case against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and several co-accused over the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos which went viral in 2019.

The separate demurrer to evidence filed by Trillanes and co-accused Peter Joemel Advincula, Jonnel Sangalang, Yolanda Villanueva Ong, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Fr. Albert Alejo, Vicente Romano III and Ronnil Carlos Enriquez was granted for insufficiency of evidence, Presiding Justice Kristine Grace Suarez said in a ruling.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group that tagged more than 30 known opposition figures, including former vice president Leni Robredo, over the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos.

Only 11 people were indicted and brought to court. Trillanes and 10 others, including members of the clergy, were charged with conspiracy to commit sedition for supposedly conspiring to discredit and eventually oust then president Rodrigo Duterte by releasing the videos.

Trillanes had called the charge against him an “absurd case.”