MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has not offered to settle in the libel case filed against him by former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and lawyer Manases Carpio outside of court, his lawyer said.
Lawyer Reynaldo Robles confirmed to Philstar.com that a mediation hearing was held between the two camps at the Philippine Mediation Center last Thursday, March 21. Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution, or a way to resolve a dispute or controversy aside from adjudication.
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He emphasized however that the mediation hearing was ordered by Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 54.
“[It’s] a mandatory process ordered by the court. There was no offer of settlement from Senator Trillanes,” Robles added.
According to earlier reports, Duterte and Carpio—husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio—had rejected a supposed offer from Trillanes to settle the case.
Libel case
The case stemmed from a radio interview of the senator in Cebu where Trillanes allegedly defamed then Davao City Vice Mayor Duterte and his family.
In the interview cited in the complaint, the senator accused Duterte of corruption and extortion involving Uber and other companies regulated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the Road Board and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Trillanes earlier said that the libel suit is meant to harass him.
In a press briefing in September, the senator said: “It’s very, very obvious that they are finding ways to shake me down, to harass me, but we will face it.”
The Davao libel case is only one of the cases the senator is facing.
Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 is due to resume trial on the revived rebellion case against the senator over his involvement in the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
The rebellion case was reopened following Duterte’s declaration that the amnesty granted to the senator was void from the beginning.
The senator is also facing at least two inciting to sedition charges before Pasay courts. — Kristine Joy Patag