Trader Antonio Tiu to file defamation charges vs. Trillanes

Published October 22, 2014 9:10am

(Updated 9:52 a.m.) Businessman Antonio Tiu is set to file defamation charges against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Lawyer Charina Quintanilla said they will be filing a civil case for defamation before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office Wednesday morning.

Except for saying that Tiu wanted to seek compensation for damages incurred by the accusations hurled by Trillanes, the lawyer refused to give details on the complaint they will file.

Trillanes earlier said that Tiu, chief executive officer of Greenergy Corporation, is the dummy of Vice President Jejomar Binay on the 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas.

Tiu is present at the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing on the corruption charges against Binay in connection with the alleged overpricing in the construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.

Reached for his comments, Trillanes said he will face the charges head-on.

"We won't back down. I'm standing on a very solid ground. I've fought bigger battle than this," he told reporters before the hearing started.

He also called Tiu a pathological liar.

"He can lie with a straight face," the senator said.

He also expressed readiness to have a debate with Vice President Binay.

"Game ako dyan kahit sa beautiful Hacienda Binay pa," he said.

On Tuesday, a television report said Tiu has demanded an apology from some senators and former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado for describing him as the supposed dummy of Binay.

The same report, however, quoted Trillanes as saying that he won't be giving in to Tiu's request. Instead, Trillanes said he will prove before the Senate panel that Tiu is indeed a dummy of the Vice President. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: antoniotiu, antoniotrillanesiv, makaticityhallbuilding2, makaticityhallbuildingii