Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Panelo on Trillanes sedition case: PRRD will let the law take its course
Philippines
Panelo on Trillanes sedition case: PRRD will let the law take its course
Panelo on Trillanes sedition case: PRRD will let the law take its course
Published Feb 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV will have a chance to defend himself in court following the filing of sedition raps against him, a Palace official said Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Duterte will just let the law take its course on the case involving Trillanes and other personalities, insisting he won't interfere with the matter. "They have the opportunity to defend themselves. Again, the President says, let the law take its course. There are remedies available to them. They should avail of them,” he said in a Palace press briefing. Panelo also maintained there was no politics involved in the indictment of Trillanes, a vocal critic of Duterte, for sedition charges. "We never engage in politics," he said. The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier cleared Vice President Leni Robredo and several other opposition members of sedition, but Trillanes and 10 others were charged for alleged involvement in an ouster plot against Duterte. Trillanes and the others were allegedly behind a series of controversial videos linking Duterte and his family to the illegal drug trade. They allegedly tried to create hatred and revenge against Duterte "with the end in view of toppling and destabilizing the current administration," the DOJ said in a statement. According to Panelo, the President does not meddle in the affairs of government departments "as a matter of policy." "The President does not interfere in any proceeding involving the departments. If that is the finding of the Department of Justice, as he keeps on saying, 'Let the law take its course,'" Panelo said. "Those investigating prosecutors know their task – to find probable cause. If the evidence presented to them does not show there is, then they have no other alternative but to dismiss the case."
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Duterte will just let the law take its course on the case involving Trillanes and other personalities, insisting he won't interfere with the matter. "They have the opportunity to defend themselves. Again, the President says, let the law take its course. There are remedies available to them. They should avail of them,” he said in a Palace press briefing. Panelo also maintained there was no politics involved in the indictment of Trillanes, a vocal critic of Duterte, for sedition charges. "We never engage in politics," he said. The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier cleared Vice President Leni Robredo and several other opposition members of sedition, but Trillanes and 10 others were charged for alleged involvement in an ouster plot against Duterte. Trillanes and the others were allegedly behind a series of controversial videos linking Duterte and his family to the illegal drug trade. They allegedly tried to create hatred and revenge against Duterte "with the end in view of toppling and destabilizing the current administration," the DOJ said in a statement. According to Panelo, the President does not meddle in the affairs of government departments "as a matter of policy." "The President does not interfere in any proceeding involving the departments. If that is the finding of the Department of Justice, as he keeps on saying, 'Let the law take its course,'" Panelo said. "Those investigating prosecutors know their task – to find probable cause. If the evidence presented to them does not show there is, then they have no other alternative but to dismiss the case."