PULONG SUES TRILLANES

Complaint stems from senator's claim that Duterte and brother in law Manases Carpio extorted money from LTFRB-regulated firms

Presidential son and former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte filed a libel complaint against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for libelous and defamatory accusation of corruption and extortion.

Stated in a complaint-affidavit released by the Office of the Prosecutor in Davao City Thursday, Trillanes made a libelous statement against Paolo Duterte during the latter’s interview with announcer Leo Lastimosa of DYAB Cebu on September 8 of last year.

The accusation of corruption and extortion involved the UBER and other companies regulated by LTFRB, Road Board and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“In or about September 2017, my brother-in-law, Atty. Manases ‘Mans’ Carpio, showed me a teleradio video clip phone patch interview of the respondent with Leo Lastimosa of DYAB Cebu,” Duterte stated in the complaint-affidavit.

“Specifically, respondent indicted me and Atty. Carpio of ‘pangingikil’ against UBER in connection with its claimed franchise, and against ‘similar companies’ purportedly in conspiracy with LTFRB RD7 Director Ahmed Cuison,” he added.

Duterte also stated that Trillanes’ statements were “accusation and black propaganda” against him and Carpio who also filed a separate libel case against Trillanes.

In December last year, Paolo and Carpio filed a civil case against Trillanes for involving them in a smuggling issue. The two filed the case at the Office of the Clerk of Court on December 27 and it was raffled off to Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 under the sala of Judge Mario Duaves.