MANILA, Philippines – Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV started the new year with a new case, as he was formally charged with grave threat before the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The case stemmed from the complaint of Labor Undersecretary Jacinto “Jing” Paras over a confrontation at the Senate last year.

The case was raffled to Pasay RTC Branch 47 on December 7. On December 14, Judge Joeven Dellosa scheduled Trillanes’ arraignment, which will be held in the morning of February 15.

“The private complainant is directed to appear before the Court on the same date for purposes of plea bargaining, where allowed, and notification of trial dates,”  Dellosa said.

Trillanes was unfazed by what he called another “harassment case” against him.

“Like all the other harassment cases filed against me, I will face this squarely.  I just arrived from my trip last Wednesday despite all threats against me, precisely, to show these people that I am not afraid of them,” the opposition senator said in a statement on Friday, January 11. 

He said the latest case against him showed that justice had become “twisted” under the Duterte administration. 

“Binaliktad na talaga ni Duterte ang hustisya sa Pilipinas. Siya itong pinapatay mismo ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino, pinapa-rape ang mga babae sa mga sundalo, pinapa-kidnap at torture ang mga COA audtiors at pinapa-holdup ang mga bishops, tapos ako ang pinakasuhan nya ng grave threats sa mga bata niya? Baliw talaga,” said Trillanes. 

(Duterte has twisted justice in the Philippines. He has ordinary Filipinos killed, tells soldiers to rape women, wants COA auditors kidnapped and tortured, and wants bishops robbed, yet he gets his people to file a grave threat case against me? Crazy.)

Trillanes was recently abroad, with permission from the court, for speaking engagements.

This is Trillanes’ 4th court case. He has a pending rebellion case before the Makati Regional Trial Court, inciting to sedition case before the Pasay Regional Trial Court, and a libel case at the Davao City Regional Trial Court, all filed under the Duterte administration. – Rappler.com