Roque, vlogger summoned in Trillanes cyberlibel case

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City prosecutor’s office has summoned former presidential spokesman Harry Roque and a vlogger in connection with libel and cyberlibel cases filed against them by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

“The subpoenas are out,” Trillanes said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) after the prosecutor’s office summoned Roque and vlogger Byron Cristobal to a preliminary investigation hearing.

In an interview with The STAR, Roque said he has yet to receive the subpoena, but assured the public he would answer the charge filed by Trillanes.

“There is nothing newsworthy about that. As a matter of course, a subpoena is issued to provide us a copy (of the complaint), so it’s a novelty only to someone like Trillanes who is ignorant of the law. We will file an answer in due course, including countercharges for all his acts of disloyalty to the republic,” Roque said.

Trillanes alleged that Roque; Cristobal, who is also known as Banat By; several hosts of Sonshine Media Network Inc. and other social media accounts supportive of former president Rodrigo Duterte have targeted him with false accusations.

“Actually, I have yet to receive (the subpoena). He (Trillanes) only posted it on X. The funny thing is he has the copy of the subpoena when he is not the respondent,” Roque said.

Trillanes said the attacks against him on social media platforms were related to allegations that he sold Scarborough Shoal to China.

The Office of the Ombudsman in 2017 cleared former president Benigno Aquino III and Trillanes of treason and espionage for engaging in backchannel negotiations with China to resolve the Panatag Shoal standoff in 2012.

Trillanes also lodged complaints before the National Bureau of Investigation against what he said were pro-Duterte troll accounts on TikTok and X.

The accounts are Mr. Realtalker or Lods Chinto, Melagin Nastor Evangelista or Catastrophe, JoeLas, Michael Gorre, Hampaslupang Mandaragat and @SaraAll2028.