Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. has sued Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for libel after the lawmaker “publicly and maliciously” accused him and his family of bribing Court of Appeals (CA) justices that led to their issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and then a writ of preliminary injunction that stopped the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against him.
In his complaint-affidavit filed before the Office of the Makati City Prosecutor last Monday, Binay said Trillanes publicly and maliciously imputed crimes against him, including bribery, graft and corruption, and plunder, citing interviews over several radio and television programs aired on April 7. He also cited news reports when Trillanes exposed and publicly claimed that the mayor allegedly bribed members of the 6th Division of the CA by paying them millions of pesos in exchange for favorable action on his prayer for a TRO and writ of preliminary injunction against his suspension.
In the news reports, Trillanes was also quoted as saying the mayor and his family were “part of a syndicate” that have committed various crimes and irregularities.
Binay said it was evident from the media interviews of Trillanes that he had made the statements “despite the utter lack of evidence.”
“The damaging and ruinous claims spewed out by respondent Trillanes are mere concoctions and fabrications with no other purpose than to malign, discredit, ruin my reputation, and besmirch my good name as well as that of my family,” Mayor Binay said.
The mayor pointed out that Trillanes himself had admitted that he had no valid proof or factual basis for his pronouncements.
Manila bulletin
