Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV initiated legal action on Thursday, June 25, filing a cyber libel complaint at the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Rodante Marcoleta regarding allegations from a June 4 Senate hearing that he accepted bags of cash.
The lawsuit also names 18 former security details of former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, a group widely referred to across traditional and digital media platforms as the “Maleta Boys.”
In the 27-page filing, Trillanes contends that the remarks made during the June 4 session do not enjoy legislative immunity. He argues the gathering was officially deemed an unauthorized or rogue meeting rather than a legitimate Senate proceeding.
During that period, Senator Win Gatchalian had assumed the role of Acting Senate President, and the newly formed Senate majority had appointed Senator Erwin Tulfo to lead the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, unseating Senator Pia Cayetano.
While Pia Cayetano had permitted Marcoleta to spearhead the hearing prior to her brother’s ouster from the Senate presidency, Tulfo subsequently invalidated the legality of the assembly.
Trillanes backed his complaint with official hearing transcripts detailing discussions by Cayetano and Marcoleta concerning the large sums of money he allegedly received from Co’s ex-security staff.
The submission also features transcript excerpts highlighting Marcoleta’s commentary on Trillanes’ ties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte is currently held in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.
“The June 4, 2026 so-called ‘Blue Ribbon hearing’ is not an official hearing, hence, does not fall under the ‘absolutely privileged communications’ exception to the general rule on malice,” Trillanes’ complaint read.
“The presumption of malice stands with respect to the defamatory remarks made by Respondents Cayetano and Marcoleta,” it added.
This filing represents Trillanes’ second wave of litigation against the 18 former security aides, following perjury and cyber libel charges he leveled against them in March.
Trillanes has previously asserted that these individuals are being weaponized to target specific political figures, particularly those aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.