Nagsampa ng counter affidavit si dating Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque laban sa cyber libel at libel cases na isinampa ni dating Senador Antonio Trillanes IV.
Sa isang pahayag nitong Linggo, Hunyo 23, ibinahagi ni Roque na hiniling niya sa Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office noong Hunyo 18 na ibasura ang mga kasong inihain ni Trillanes dahil umano sa kawalan ng “probable cause.”
Base sa counter-affidavit, nagsampa rin si Roque ng “graft and misconduct in office charges” laban kay Trillanes dahil umano sa pagtataksil nito sa tiwala ng publiko sa kaniyang umano’y “2012 high-stakes backchannel negotiations” sa mga opisyal ng China.
Giit pa ni Roque, na naging presidential spokesperson noong administrasyong Duterte, “fair commentaries” at maituturing na “privileged communication” daw ang kaniyang naging mga “kritisismo” laban kay Trillanes, na noo’y senador ng bansa.
Trillanes, kinasuhan sina Harry Roque, SMNI hosts, ‘pro-Duterte vloggers’
“As a public figure, Trillanes should not have been onion-skinned in reacting to my criticisms of his conduct in his backchannel mission to China,” ani Roque.
“My livestream discusses matters of public interest such as sovereignty and sovereign rights that deserve utmost discussion and should be insulated from libel judgment,” dagdag niya.
Matatandaang noong Mayo 14, 2024 nang magsampa ng libel at cyber libel si Trillanes laban kay Roque, vlogger na si “Banat By,” SMNI, at ilan pa umanong mga “pro-Duterte vloggers at trolls” dahil daw sa pagpapakalat ng mga ito ng maling impormasyon laban sa kaniya.
Samantala, inakusahan naman ni Roque si Trillanes ng paglabag sa Section 3 ng “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” (Republic Act 3019) at Section 4 ng “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713).
“The Complainant allowed himself to be persuaded, induced, or influenced to violate the 1987 Constitution and the rules of the Senate. The negotiation was grossly disadvantageous to the government,” giit ni Roque.
“As a Senator, Trillanes failed to observe the standards of nationalism, patriotism, and commitment to democracy, in violation of RA 6713,” saad pa niya.
Habang isinusulat ito’y wala pa namang reaksyon o komento si Trillanes hinggil sa counter affidavit at pahayag ni Roque.
