(Eagle News)–Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has branded as a ” clear act of political persecution and harassment” the charges filed against him and several others over the “Ang Totoong Narco-list” videos.
In a statement issued hours after the charges were lodged before the Department of Justice, Trillanes said this was done by the Duterte administration “to stifle democratic dissent.”
“Sana lang ay mag-isip nang malalim at hindi magpagamit sa pulitika ang mga DOJ prosecutors na mag-iimbestiga nitong kasong ito,” he said.
He said he hoped the prosecutors would “do what is right so the truth will come out.”
According to Trillanes, the police, after all, “clearly abused and misused the subpoena power recently bestowed on them to single out critics of the Duterte administration.”
“Alam nila na wala silang hawak na ebidensya kundi ang salaysay ng isang testigo na ilang ulit nang nagsinungaling sa publiko, pero tinuloy pa rin ang pag-file ng kaso,” he said.
Peter Joemel Advincula, who claims to be the yellow-hooded figure “Bikoy” in the videos that accused President Rodrigo Duterte and his family of being behind the drug trade, served as a witness for the police in the filing of the charges.
He was also included as a respondent.
Advincula stood by the allegations in the video when he first surfaced but later admitted they were lies the opposition forced him to peddle under project Sodoma.
“Hayaan nalang natin na gumulong ang hustisya..,” Advincula said after the filing.