Trillanes on kidnapping complaint: Harassment, persecution against Duterte critics

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV denied Friday allegations of kidnapping and serious illegal detention filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Trillanes said he never personally met the supposed victim, Guillermina Lalic Barrido alias Guillermina Arcillas, as he expressed doubt on her claims.

“Never ko na-meet ‘yan si Guillerma Arcillas or Barrido. Sa’n ka makakita na pari at madre daw ang kasama ko sa pagkidnap at sa kumbento pa daw siya dinetain. Bukod pa d’yan,  2016 pa raw siya kinidnap pero ngayon lang nagfile ng kaso,” he said in text message.

He said that according to information he received, Barrido volunteered to testify against President Rodrigo Duterte but since her story was not consistent and she asked for money in exchange for her testimony, she was not accepted as a witness.

“Ang impormasyon ko d’yan ay isa siyang nagboluntaryong magtestigo laban daw kay Duterte pero butas-butas ang kuwento at nanghihingi diumano ng pera kapalit ng kanyang salaysay kaya hindi tinanggap bilang testigo,” he said.

“Tapos ng hindi nabigyan ng pera, bumaliktad,” he added.

As early as 2017, Trillanes already refuted the claims of  Barrido. 

He said the new complaint filed is another harassment against the critics of the President.

“Ito na naman ay maliwanag na harassment case at persecution ni Duterte laban sa kanyang mga kritiko,” he said.

The PNP-CIDG filed the complaint before the Department of Justice against Trillanes, Fr. Albert Alejo, lawyer Jude Sabio, and a certain Sister Ling of the Convent of Cannussian Sisters. 

It said the respondents “feloniously, maliciously, and intentionally put the complainant under detention for 14 days in order to force her to do something against her will.”

Barrido claimed that she was detained from December 6 to 21 of 2016. She said she was initially detained at the Convent of Cannussian until she was transferred to Holy Spirit Convent in order to allegedly force her to sign a “ready-made” affidavit to destroy the reputation of the present administration. — RSJ, GMA News