Trillanes to file libel cases vs. Thinking Pinoy blogger Nieto, newspaper columnist

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday said he will file libel cases against Thinking Pinoy blogger RJ Nieto and a newspaper columnist for allegedly circulating "fake news."

"Well pini-prepare na ng abogado ko yung libel case so kakasuhan namin siya ng libel, yung nagkalat sila ng fake news na tinawag daw ako ni President Trump na little narco," Trillanes said during the Kapihan sa Senado.

"Maliwanag na 'yon doon sa US government website on the presidential pronouncements and interviews, wala talaga doon. So kasinungalingan talaga 'yan. It's a propaganda operation na sasalabungin ko 'yan," he added.

Trillanes said he will also file a libel case against Manila Times columnist Yen Makabenta.

"May humabol pa na isang kolumnista eh isasama natin. Humabol pa eh parang sama ako diyan sa kaso," he said.

The senator did not say when he will file the libel cases.

Veteran journalist Al Pedroche has apologized for writing the newspaper column that claimed US President Donald Trump called Trillanes as "little narco," saying that the article was meant as a laughing matter.

In his Pilipino Star Ngayon Column "Fake news inupakan ni Sen. Trillanes," Pedroche admitted that he was responsible for the "Little Narco met with Sen. Marco" article which Trillanes dismissed as fake news.

Pedroche's column was picked up by another Philippine Star columnist Mary Ann Reyes in her opinion piece "A major embarrassment," which was taken down on November 3 as the "supposed information cited in the column has been disputed by various other sources."

Trillanes said he will not include Pedroche in the libel case since he had already apologized.

"Yes, nag-apologize na nga yung columnist na 'yon and we appreciate that, so winelcome ko 'yon pero siya (Nieto) na nag-share non ay ano eh determinado siya kasi, kasi itong mga ito, kagaya ng amo nila na si Mr. Duterte, parang sinisilihan 'pag nag-apologize, parang napakabigat sa kanila na umamin ng pagkakamali," he said.

"Kita n'yo si Duterte, simula't sapul, hindi 'yan nag-apologize kahit sabit sabit na, sablay sablay na. Talagang mali na outright hindi 'yan. Ganon 'yan sila, magkakaparehas.," he added.

Meanwhile, Trillanes said he will still pursue the libel case against Nieto even if the blogger would decide to apologize to him.

"Well tapos na eh...Kumbaga may deadline naman 'yan," Trillanes said. "Siya mismo nag-comment, so doon sa cybercrime offense of libel, pasok na siya kahit ano, kasi 'yung narco na ni-label ako, narco para akong drug lord? That's derogatory. That's libelous."

"Eh wala eh, bogus eh, alam nila na ginawa lang nila eh. Pero nakita n'yo sila, doon sa, ako napapansin ko doon sa parte ng mga maka-Duterte ang nagkakalat ng mga kasinungalingan at mga propaganda at mga fake news. Bihira kang makakakita ng mga anti-Duterte na gumagawa niyan," he added.

In a Facebook post, Nieto seemed  unfazed by Trillanes' threat to file a libel case against him.

Nieto further explained that his post was based on Pedroche's article. 

In a separate text message to GMA News Online, Nieto said that it was "disappointing to see a lawmaker who is ignorant of the law."

"The allegedly libelous statement contains the word 'reportedly.' I hope the Senator, who appears to have no access to a dictionary, can at least Google what that word means," Nieto said. —ALG/BM, GMA News