Vice President Jejomar Binay walks among his supporters at the Makati City hall on Monday. People gathered at the city hall grounds to show their support for the older Binay and his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, who was earlier served another suspension by the Ombudsman. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — The spokesman of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday defended the filing of a P200-million libel suit against his political detractors, as it singled out Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for supposedly “bullying” Binay.
“The complaint filed by the Vice President against certain parties including Senator Trillanes is a legitimate redress of grievance. This also shows that the rule of law is non-negotiable,” lawyer Rico Quicho, Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs, said in a statement.
“It is about time that Senator Trillanes’ bullying and clear arrogance of power be reviewed and stopped by a court of competent jurisdiction after a fair and impartial administration of justice,” he added.
In his complaint filed against Trillanes and 11 others before the Makati Regional Trial Court, Binay said the defendants colluded to malign his name and reputation to force him not to run in the 2016 presidential elections.
Trillanes, one of the three senators leading the Senate investigation on the corruption allegations against Binay, said the complaint filed by the Vice President is an indication that the public official was now in panic mode.
“Nagpapakita lang ito na nagpapanic na si VP Binay kaya sinusubukan na lang niyang takutin ang mga taong umuusig sa kanya,” the senator said.
Quicho said that unlike Trillanes who is hiding behind parliamentary immunity, Binay chose to face his detractors before the court of law.
“For the past 11 months, the Vice President has received the unkindest of accusations bereft of any merit that are deeply rooted on a concerted effort to discredit and humiliate him,” he said.
“Senator Trillanes has, time and again, slandered private individuals, sitting justices and legitimate entities without any proof. This must be stopped and it is time to bring back decency and responsibility to Senator Trillanes’ vocabulary,” Quicho added.
Also named as defendants in the libel suit are Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales; former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado; and eight others. (MNS)