Partido Liberal senators slammed the filing of inciting to sedition case against fellow lawmaker Antonio Trillanes, calling it harassment against government critics.
”Hindi na kagulat-gulat na ginigipit muli ng administrasyon ang isa sa mga matitibay nilang kritiko. Mas nakakapagtaka ang patuloy na pagpoprotekta at pagpapalaya ng DOJ sa mga drug lord at criminal mastermind,” said Sen. Bam Aquino.
”Sa mga panahong ito, mahalagang ituloy ang laban para sa katarungan at hustisya para sa taumbayan,” added Sen. Aquino.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, for his part, hit the government’s double-standard when it comes to filing cases as its known allies avoided serious charges while filing trumped-up charges against its critics.
Pangilinan mentioned that ranking Bureau of Customs officials, led by former Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, avoided drug charges in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that managed to slip into the country.
Recently, charges against alleged drug personalities Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa were dismissed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Umamin na nga si Kerwin sa Senado na siya’y sangkot sa operasyon ng iligal na droga sa bansa habang itong si Lim ay makailang beses nang tinukoy ni Pangulong Duterte bilang sangkot sa iligal na droga pero naabsuwelto pa rin sila,” said Pangilinan.
“Ang masakit nito, ang prosecutor na nag-absuwelto kina Kerwin at Peter Lim ay na-promote pa bilang judge. Ito ba’y gantimpala sa maganda niyang trabaho?” asked Pangilinan.
Sen. Franklin Drilon insisted that Trillanes cannot be charged with inciting to sedition as he made the statement during a privilege speech.
“It violates the absolute parliamentary immunity for privilege speeches as established in Article IV, Section 5 of the Constitution,” Drilon said.
“Hindi rin masasabing inciting to sedition dahil binanggit lang ni Trillanes ang sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte sa military noon,” added Drilon.