Former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV lodged cyberlibel complaints on Tuesday against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), and other individuals, escalating a legal battle over alleged defamatory remarks. The complaints, filed at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office, also involve vlogger Byron Cristobal, known as Banat By, several SMNI anchors, and a businessman from Davao.
According to Trillanes, the action stems from violations of specific provisions in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and the Revised Penal Code. In his complaint, Trillanes highlights a video posted by Roque on Facebook, accusing him of conceding Scarborough Shoal to China—a claim he has repeatedly refuted.
“Despite my repeated explanations on what transpired during my backchannel talks, including official statements from incumbent government officials during Senate hearings conducted that we did not lose Scarborough, these pro-Duterte personalities continue to harp on this fake news to deflect blame from the Duterte administration,” Trillanes stated.