(Eagle News)–Criminal charges have been filed against former Senator Antonio Trillanes and several others over the alleged abduction and illegal detention of a woman they supposedly wanted to testify against now-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
The kidnapping with serious illegal detention charges also against priest Albert Alejo, lawyer Jude Sabio, a certain Sister Ling, and other Jane and John Does were filed by Guilermina Lalic Barrido, who surfaced at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to allege she was detained for several days from Dec. 6 to 21, 2016 by the respondents.
According to Barrido’s affidavit, she was brought by Alejo and Sabio to the Convent of Cannussian Sisters in Makati on Dec. 6 after the two fetched him upon her arrival from General Santos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
She said she was not allowed to leave the convent.
After three days and after talking to a nun at the convent, she said she was transferred to the Holy Spirit convent in Quezon City by Alejo, Sister Ling, Sabio and one Olivia, an alleged member of the staff of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Barrido, a native of Davao del Norte, said she was treated like a prisoner while staying at Cannussian and Holy Spirit, with Sister “Ling” telling her what she could and could not do while inside.
During her detention, she said she was forced to sign a “ready-made affidavit” containing allegations of murder and corruption against Duterte, and linking him to the supposed Davao Death Squad.
The charges were filed before the Department of Justice.
Trillanes, who now teaches in the University of the Philippines and Ateneo, has since alleged Duterte was behind the extrajudicial killings perpetrated allegedly by the DDS in the country.
Trillanes’ allegations became the subject of a Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs inquiry, which was attended by alleged former DDS member Edgar Matobato.
The Senate panel, however, ruled Matobato and retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas, who, after denying Matobato’s claims against Duterte later alleged he was involved in the alleged DDS squad, were not credible.
“This inquiry only highlights the fact that there are individuals who have the audacity to spread falsity before this august body that obtains its power from the highest law of the land,” the panel report said.
“These untruthful statements, given under oath before a Senate Committee, undermine Congress’ Constitutionally-granted authority to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. These attempts to impede the Legislative branch from performing its Constitutional function must therefore be punished accordingly,” it added.
In 2017, Barrido first surfaced to say she was “coached” and given money by Trillanes’ group to link Duterte to the illegal drug trade because the issue of extrajudicial killings being floated against him was not working.
Trillanes then dismissed Barrido’s allegations as “propaganda.” With a report from Moira Encina
