Complaint filed vs Enrile for disclosing Trillanes' backchanneling efforts with China

By AMANDA FERNANDEZ, GMA News

Published October 9, 2012 3:00pm

(Updated 3:50 p.m.) A group of concerned citizens on Tuesday filed a complaint against Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the latter's disclosure of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's backchanelling efforts with China. In filing their complaint, multisectoral group Maypagasa spokesperson Roel Garcia said Enrile violated the following:

Revised Penal Code, Article 118. Inciting to war or giving motives for reprisals.
Revised Penal Code, Article 154. Unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances.
Revised Penal Code, Article 229. Revelation of secrets by an officer
Republic Act No. 3019, Section 3. Corrupt practices of public officers.
Republic Act No. 6713, Section 7. Prohibited Acts and Transactions.

"Tingin namin, doon sa nabulgar niya, na-compromise hindi lang 'yung State e, pati rin ang posisyon natin doon sa [Panatag] Scarborough Shoal na hinihiling natin na isang peaceful resolution pero binulgar niya. Parang nakita ng China na may iba't ibang posisyon ang ating mga government officials at isa dun ang maging parang, tingin nilang naghahamon tayo ng gyera sa kanila," Garcia told reporters after filing the complaint.

"Pinagtatawanan tayo ngayon ng China. Hihina ang ating market power sa posisyon natin regarding Scarborough Shoal," he added.

Enrile welcomed the complaint filed against him, saying he is ready to face his accusers.

"OK sa akin. I'm ready...You are like throwing a fish into the river, into the water. I'll meet, I will welcome them," he told reporters.

He even vowed to disclose Trillanes' backchanneling efforts to the public as his duty as a Filipino.

"There is nothing security about that. My God, if somebody is working inimically against the interest of the public, it is my duty as a Filipino and your duty to bring it out. I'm sure that the Ombudsman will know that," Enrile said. No ties with Trillanes

Garcia was quick to deny any association with Trillanes, who is seeking re-election in next year's polls. "Grupong Maypagasa at concerned citizens ang involved. Wala pong politiko o connections kay Senator Trillanes," he said.

"We are here para ipakita na dapat maging responsable ang mga government official regarding issues," he added. "Hindi dapat nila ito nilabas."

On Sept. 19, Trillanes engaged Enrile in a heated exchange on the Senate floor, accusing the latter of being a lackey of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

At the time, Trillanes bolted the majority over what he claimed was Enrile's apparent attempt to railroad House Bill 4820, which seeks to divide Camarines Sur into two provinces and create the new province of Nueva Camarines in the Bicol Region.

Enrile countered by calling Trillanes a fraud for allegedly undermining the Philippines’ interest in his backchannel talks with Chinese authorities regarding the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. Reading from the notes of former Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady, Enrile claimed Trillanes had manifested that the Philippines does not care about the Panatag Shoal. — with Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: juanponceenrile, antoniotrillanesiv, maypagasa, china, spratlys