(Eagle News)–Former Senator Antonio Trillanes described the filing of kidnapping with serious illegal detention charges against him a “clear case of harassment and persecution” by President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement, Trillanes said he never met Guillerma Arcillas or Barrido, the acting complainant in the charges filed before the Department of Justice against him, priest Albert Alejo, lawyer Jude Sabio, a certain Sister Ling, and other Jane and John Does.
Barrido, who surfaced at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which assisted her in the filing, alleged she was detained for several days from Dec. 6 to 21, 2016 by the respondents.
According to Barrido’s affidavit, she was detained at the Convent of Cannussian Sisters in Makati and was later transferred to the Holy Spirit Convent in Quezon City.
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.
“San ka makakita na pari at madre daw ang kasama ko sa pagkidnap at sa kumbento pa daw sya dinetain,” Trillanes asked.
Trillanes noted that the alleged kidnapping took place in 2016 “pero ngayon lang nagfile ng kaso.”
According to Trillanes, he received information Barrido volunteered as a witness against Duterte “pero butas butas ang kwento at nanghihingi diumano ng pera kapalit ng kanyang salaysay kaya hindi tinanggap bilang testigo.”
Barrido first surfaced in 2017, and alleged 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, however, then dismissed Barrido’s allegations as “propaganda.”
“(Nang) hindi nabigyan ng pera, bumaliktad,” Trillanes said in his recent statement.
“Ito na naman ay maliwanag na harassment case at persecution ni Duterte laban sa kanyang mga kritiko,” he added.
