Court of Appeals summons Trillanes over contempt rap

MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals (CA) on Tuesday ordered Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to appear and explain allegations of contempt against him by suspended Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay Jr.

In a resolution penned by Associate Justice Stephen Cruz, the CA Special Fifth Division summoned Trillanes to appear at Paras Hall on August 14 to explain his allegations against Sixth Division Justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Francisco Acosta.

The resolution said Trillanes made several baseless and sweeping statements against the independence, integrity and reputation of the Court of Appeals and the justices.

"We believe that there are matters to be clarified, hence, there is a need to set a hearing to allow parties to be heard and for this Court to propound classificatory questions to the parties or their witnesses," the CA resolution read.

Binay had asked the appellate court to cite Trillanes in contempt for accusing two of its justices of receiving bribe to issue a temporary restraining order in favor of Binay.

Binay was earlier preventively suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman due to an investigation into plunder complaints against him. He was suspended anew in June over another anomaly.

Associate Justice Cruz will be joined by Justices Ramon Paul Hernando and Maria Luisa Quijano-Padilla as concurring body in the hearing set on August 14.

The CA division had already given Trillanes ten days to comment on Binay's contempt plea last May but he failed to deliver.

Trillanes is part of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into graft allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay and family.