MANILA, Philippines – Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is set to file plunder charges against Senator Richard Gordon over alleged corruption in the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

Trillanes said this is on top of the ethics complaint that he would file against Gordon, who earlier filed a similar case against him before the Senate ethics and privileges committee.

“‘Di lang ethics complaint, criminal complaint din (Not just an ethics complaint, but also a criminal complaint). I intend to file a plunder case against Senator Gordon,” Trillanes said in a press conference on Thursday, September 28, 2017.

Trillanes, in an earlier privilege speech, said he would expose Gordon’s anomalies in the Red Cross.

The two earlier faced off after Trillanes called Gordon’s blue ribbon committee as “comite de absuwelto” for clearing President Rodrigo Duterte and his families.

At the time, Gordon responded to Trillanes’ speech and said he does not get “any salary or allowances” from the organization. He also lamented Trillanes’ attacks on the PRC.

“I am also a governor of the International Federation of the Red Cross. I just appeal to the senators to be very, very careful. You may hurt me but not the movement,” Gordon said.

“But to malign the Red Cross in this hall… That has always been the problem. He thinks he does his job by making sure his conclusions are in his mind and when he asks questions, he thinks he’s already proven his point. That’s why he’s trying hard to understand what hearsay is,” he added.

The Senate ethics committee has found Gordon’s complaint against Trillanes as sufficient in form and substance

But Trillanes is positive the case would not prosper.

“It will not reach second base, hanggang filing na lang yan. Wala akong ginawang unparliamentry. Alam ng mga senador yan,” Trillanes said.

(It will not reach second base, it will end at filing. I have done nothing unparliamentary. The senators know that.) – Rappler.com