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Amid turnaround, Trillanes asks Sabio: ‘Don’t lose hope in human rights fight’

Aika Rey

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Amid turnaround, Trillanes asks Sabio: ‘Don’t lose hope in human rights fight’
Lawyer Jude Sabio is among the 3 new witnesses the Office of the Solicitor General is supposed to introduce to link ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV to Bikoy

MANILA, Philippines – Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV asked lawyer Jude Sabio to keep up the fight for human rights, even as Sabio expressed openness to testifying in the sedition case linking Peter Joemel Advincula or Bikoy to the ex-lawmaker.

In an open letter, Trillanes said that he knew how Sabio is “struggling financially and physically,” so he understood the lawyer’s situation if he turned tables. But Trillanes said he wished that Sabio asked for help instead of demanding “inexistent” lawyer fees.

“Naiintindihan ko naman kung pinanghihinaan ka na ng loob sa labang ito. Pero kapit lang. Tiwala lang. Dasal lang. Sayang ang mga naiambag mo sa laban para sa mga karapatang pantao,” Trillanes said.

(I understand if you feel discouraged in this battle. But hang on. Trust. Pray. Your contributions to the fight for human rights will be put to waste.)

Trillanes said these rough patches will pass eventually.

“Hayaan mo, balang araw sa malapit-lapit na hinaharap ay lilipas din itong mga pagsubok na ‘to at magkikita tayong muli, at masayang babalikan natin ang mga mabigat na yugtong ito na magaan ang dibdib at may matiwasay na pagiisip sa pagkakaalam na nakapaglingkod tayo sa Inang Bayan,” the former lawmaker said.

(Don’t worry, someday in the near future, these challenges will pass and we will see each other and gladly return to these tough times with a lighter feeling and peace of mind, knowing that we served out Mother Land.)

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Sabio said Trillanes’ staff reached out to him if he was open to lawyer for the Bikoy case. But Sabio said the staff pointed out Bikoy has “other handlers.”

“Ang impression ko, dahil kinukuha ‘nya kong abogado, it only means na malalim ang kanyang involvement ‘nya sa Bikoy na ‘yan. (My impression is, because he’s getting me as a lawyer, it only means that his involvement with Bikoy is deep),” Sabio told ABS-CBN.

But Sabio said his conversation with the staff turned into a heated exchange when he was asked for his continuing legal education (MCLE) requirement. In an April meeting with the ex-lawmaker, Sabio charged lawyer fees for Davao Death Squad whistleblower Edgar Matobato.

“Assuming, for the sake of discussion, na tama ang pagkaalala mo sa nangyare, sa interview mo mismo ay sinabi mo na ang sabi ko sa’yo ay may ‘ibang handlers’ si Bikoy na nagpapahanap lang sila ng abogado ‘nya. Hindi ba maliwanag ‘yun na I’m not directly involved with him?” Trillanes said in his letter.

(Assuming, for the sake of discussion, that you remember correctly what happened, in your interview you said that I told you Bikoy had ‘other handlers’ and that they were looking for someone to lawyer for him. Isn’t that clear that I’m not directly involved with him?)

Falling out

Sabio had earlier claimed that Trillanes owed him “P700,000 in lawyers fees” for Matobato. Trillanes said that he kept quiet in the past months hoping that the lawyer would “realize what he did.”

“Nung mga nakaraang buwan ay nanahimik ako sa mga pagmumura mo at mabibigat mong salita laban sakin hoping na marealize mo nang kusa ang kamalian sa mga sinasabi mo,” Trillanes said.

(In the past months, I just tried to be quiet amid your cursing and expletives against me, hoping that you realize own your own your wrongdoings.)

But Trillanes said that since Sabio had already publicly announced his allegations, it’s his turn now to explain.

The ex-senator said that it was “clear” then that lawyering for Matobato is done pro-bono. Despite that, Trillanes said that his offce gave Sabio “help” every month ranging from P50,000 to P100,000.

“Sinasabi mo na hindi dapat bilangin yun kasi ‘retainer’ dapat ang tawag dun. Pero bakit magiging retainer ang tawag mo dun, eh hindi mo naman ako kailanman naging kliyente at wala ka namang nahawakang kaso ko ni isa?” said Trillanes, whose lawyer is Rey Robles.

(You’re saying that we shouldn’t count that because that’s supposed to be a ‘retainer’ fee. But how can you call that ‘retainer’ when I was never your client and you don’t handle any of my cases?)

Aside from that, Trillanes bared that he gave Sabio money to buy medicines, pay his loans, pay his rent, plane tickets, transportation fees, and even MCLE.

A Cavite court earlier issued an arrest warrant against Sabio for not complying to the MCLE requirement but was revoked by the Court of Appeals. Trillanes added that he gave funds for the requirement five times in the past but Sabio only attended one.

“Sa madaling salita, tulong ang binibigay sayo buwan-buwan dahil nga naiintidihan ko ang kalagayan mo. (In other words, I am helping you monthly because I understand your situation),” Trillanes said.

“Never akong nagkulang sa’yo. (I never shortchanged you),” he added.

Ask for help?

The former senator said that Sabio should’ve asked for help, instead of turning his back against him.

“Walang nagsara ng pinto sayo. Sana kung humingi ka na lang ng tulong, kahit mahirap ang sitwasyon, magagawan naman ng paraan para matulungan ka. Kaso pinagmumura mo na kami agad at naniningil ng mga pera na wala naman talagang pagkakautang,” Trillanes said.

(Nobody closed doors on you. I wished you asked for help, even if the situation is hard, something can be done to help you. But you had been cursing us immediately and asking for payment that was never there.)

Trillanes said that Sabio was always treated “well” in the past two years they’ve worked together, especially that they are working for a fight against injustices and human rights violations.

“Kahit walang pera ang oposisyon, tibay ng loob at paninindigan naman ang capital natin sa labang ito. (Even if the opposition doesn’t have money, standing for truth and our values are our capital in this fight),” said Trillanes.

On Friday, September 6, the Department of Justice denied the request of the Office of the Solicitor General to introduce 3 new witnesses to the preliminary investigation of the Bikoy inciting to sedition complaint against key members of the opposition. (READ: Meet the lawyers fighting Bikoy’s sedition complaint)

Sabio was supposedly among the new witnesses.

Apart from Matobato, Sabio filed the crimes against humanity complaint against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court.

Since then, Sabio, who described himself as penniless and on the run, said that he feared for his life. – Rappler.com

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Aika Rey

Aika Rey is a business reporter for Rappler. She covered the Senate of the Philippines before fully diving into numbers and companies. Got tips? Find her on Twitter at @reyaika or shoot her an email at aika.rey@rappler.com.