Accused mutiny leader Lt. (s.g.) Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator at the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila.
With the filing, the military said Trillanes is deemed separated from service.
He will not be allowed to go out of his detention cell in Fort Bonifacio to campaign because the military retains jurisdiction over him. If he wins in the senatorial race, the military court will continue trying him.
“Winning an elective position would not exonerate you from any criminal liability,” said Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office.
Trillanes, one of the core leaders of Magdalo group of officers which staged the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, is charged with violation of Article of War 96 (conduct unbecoming an officer) before a military court and with coup d’état before the Makati City regional trial court.
Bacarro said Trillanes’ separation from service does not mean the military has lost jurisdiction over him.
“The offense is believed to have been committed while he was in the active service so the military has established jurisdiction over the person of Lieutenant Trillanes…We can still subject him to detention,” he said.
He cited the case of Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia, former military comptroller who is accused of illegally amassing wealth.
Garcia was tried and subsequently convicted by a military tribunal in December 2005 on charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman and conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline.
He reached the retirement age of 56 in late 2004.
“We established that even if one is already retired, there is still military jurisdiction over the person of General Garcia and same is true with Trillanes. We will apply that rule that he is deemed separated from the service,” said Bacarro.
On Trillanes’ separation from service, Bacarro said: “It’s a law and once you have filed your candidacy, automatically you are deemed separated from the service. In the case of Trillanes, he’s separated from the service.”
“By virtue of him being under the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he cannot go out because he is detained,” he said.
At the Comelec, Trillanes said he will campaign “through my supporters, friends and relatives.”
“While we don’t have the traditional political machinery where local government officials are utilized for campaigning, we have grassroots machinery relatives, friends and supporters who can do necessary legwork for campaign,” he said.
Arriving shortly past 9 a.m., Trillanes was met by his supporters wearing white shirts and red Magdalo armbands.
He said he and his supporters will use make us of technology, which includes the Internet and text messaging, and newspapers, radio and television.
“The traditional practices of ‘miting de avance’ and handshakes have become passé. Now, information about a candidate and his message can reach voters all over the country. TV, radio, newspapers, internet and texts are much faster than any political caravan,” he said.
Trillanes said if he wins and his trial has not been concluded, he will hold office at his detention cell.
“That should not hinder me from crafting and filing my legislative bills,” he said.
Trillanes said if he becomes senator, he will focus on anti-corruption, poverty alleviation, peace and order and education.
Trillanes said negotiations are now ongoing for him to join the slate of the United Opposition.
“I am open to the opposition’s invitation,” he said.
The administration also approached him and is convincing him to run under its ticket, he said.
Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor said those want to be included in the administration slate should agree to help the administration in realizing the goals and programs it has set until 2010.
Defensor also said that Trillanes, by filing his COC, showed he still believes in the election process.
He also said Trillanes’ decision to run is better than resorting to violence or illegal means to effect reforms.
He said Malacañang is not worried that Trillanes might win.
Trillanes, 35, holds a degree in Electronic Communications Engineering from the De La Salle University and has a master’s in public administration from the University of the Philippines.
He was cum laude of Class 1995 of the Philippine Military Academy. – by Gerard Naval, Victor Reyes and Jocelyn Montemayor
Related story: Macho soldeir rebels have edge.
So what if he remains in military custody when he wins? He can always fight for his right to serve the people he has pledged to serve and that’s important. People who support his candidacy has promised to help him fulfill his duties and responsibilities.
He may have broken some military protocol, but he was protesting against one that has been fraudulent and not worth pledging allegiance to with leaders who have proven to have violated the laws of the land and worst, trampled upon the Constitution upon which all laws are founded, and yes, even consecrated.
A vote for Trillanes is a vote for the return of the rule of law, and that should have more weight than the lies and deceit by which the Filipinos are being ruled, subjected to and even being spoiled and corrupted.
Enough is enough! He should be pardoned and allowed to serve his people, no longer as a military man but as one who would try to put order even in the military that he must have loved!
SAKIT NG PILIPINAS, SI TRILLANES ANG LUNAS! IBOTO SI TRILLANES!
PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA!
What a warrior, this Alan Peter Cayetano. He is definitely first on my senatorial list. I saw him do battle again today with the gorillas of Gloria and Mike Arroyo in Congress, specifically in the Ethics Committee, headed by his Dishonorable Cajes (coached and prodded by the More Dishonorable Villafuerte by his side).
Alan was outnumbered, pounded and clawed and yelled at by the shrieking apes defending their Mafia Dons and Donya. They were crying out with such venom and glee for the head of Alan, either suspend him or expel him.
But Congressman Cayetano courageously stood his ground and fought a good fight. I could see he was battle weary after the dust cleared but was unbowed.
Dumbo’s Gorillas couldn’t make a dent. How can they? Cayetano seems to be made of sterner stuff, his armor and shield smeltered from strong principles, truth and sincerity. One can see this man is a good man.
Dumbo’s Gorillas threatened and cajoled and made it appear they are just about ready to suspend or expel the young Congressman. I say go ahead, Con-Ass idiots. Send Alan’s senatorial ranking still further crashing through the roof.
Go, Alan.. You are the people’s White Knight. It doesn’t really matter whether they suspend or expel you. You’re fighting a good fight, a moral battle.
You’re definitely No. 1 on my list and on the list of millions out there.
Sayang I cannot vote, but I am giving my staff free hand in using the papers, printers, computers in our office to make campaign materials for Trillanes, Cayetano, Escudero, Pimentel and even Lacson basta manalo lang sila! OK ngarud! Libre na pati ang mga DVD copies of Erap’s film para makita ng mga pilipino ang ginawang kahayupan ni Donya Burot. Kung may AVI file ang opposition, we can produce DVDs for distribution to their supporters.
Go, UNO Go!!! SAKIT NG PILIPINAS, SI TRILLANES ANG LUNAS!
We’re thinking of another cliche for Alan. Any suggestion, Chi, et al?
Phil, I’ll have a posting on Alan Cayetano a little later.
Phil C,
Thanks for the vivid imagery of Alan Peter’s battle against Glueria’s cannibals. Para ko na ring nakita! They just made Alan Peter a senator! Tenkyu mga gago!
Sonny Trillanes, you’re definitely on my list. I admire your youthful aggression against this corrupt regime! Wish UNO will consider him.
joeseg, wer r u na?!
I remember you said that look-a-like ka ni Sonny Trillanes a year ago, heheh!
“Winning an elective position would not exonerate you from any criminal liability,” said Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office.
Inggit to the bones si Bacarro kay Sonny! Anyone with brains knows it, tanga!
Hmmm, good luck to him.
Unfortunately, Yuko, Lt Trillanes did not simply commit breach of military protocol.
The threat to blow up Oakwood and its environment was real and that cannot be just put to a mere breach or “breaking of military protocol.”
I do accept that by threatening to blow Oakwood and its environment, including committing eventual collateral damage was an attempt on his part to denounce the ills in the AFP. Had he tried perhaps to go for Malacanang to blow up Malacanang and its bogus occupants would have perhaps (PERHAPS) been a different story.
Nonetheless, what he tried to do could have resulted in carnage not only for the forces but also for the civilians in the vicinity. With that in mind, I cannot just absolve him for what he had tried to do.
Never mind his absolving his former superior, Rear Admiral Ruben Domingo, chief Phil Fleet, of wrongdoings (whom I know is not lily white – far from it) the bottom line is Trillanes like his more bemedalled collegues now in detention had a sworn military duty to protect Filipino civilians and to uphold the fundamental rights of his fellow citizens above and foremost.
A military officer, following the tenet of his sworn mission cannot defeat his “enemies” by training his guns on innocent civilians particularly when the target is so far away from the seat of his grievances.
We must never, ever just consider that what Trillanes did threatening to blow up Oakwood and its environment along with the people who might have ben found in that place was mere “breaking of military protocol.” It ain’t so and can never be so. It was something far more serious.
Just the same, I think he has now learn of his mistakes, it is only right to wish him luck. But I am a militarist – I will not vote for him.
Nagiisa si Allan Peter, wala bang oposisyon
member diyan sa Comittee? Nasaan si Chiz. Tulad ng Pilipinas ang Congreso walang oposisyon magtatanggol sa mabubuting tao. Buti pa sa Taiwan, malabo man ang dahilan, meron buntalan.
Sa Taiwan, yang mga Pidals pinaghahataw ng silya yan.
Ang dami ko nang tanong dito, walang sumsagot. Am I asking the obvious, questions that need no answers.
Allan Peter Hindi ka nagiisa, mabubuting Filipino nasa sa likod. Yan ang sabi nila kay Ninoy noon.
Ah!
Jay, what you said seems to confirm what Senator Miriam Santiago said to the Inquirer:
“My experience is that it’s man or woman to himself. Coalition is valid only for rhetorical purposes. There is no real coalition in a campaign. It’s man to himself. They never campaigned for the entire ticket. I was very amazed,” Santiago said.
Chiz, I think, is not a member of the committee. He is also out of town today.
Please see next post. It’s on Cayetano. Thanks.
In reality, a candidate needs a lot of resources..money, people, time..more money..and more money..and more people who will guard/protect his votes. Trillanes, I believe, does not have all of these. I am sure the military will not vote for him..Even his classmates in the Philippine Military Academy are not 100% in support of him. He needs an elaborate machinery to be elected. Simply put, he is an exact “copycat” of Gringo Honasan!
Personally, I will not vote for him!
Sir Black Knight
Sayang naman po at hindi pala kayo sang-ayon sa sentimiento ng mga bloggers dito tungkol sa kandidatura ni Trillanes. Pero karapatan ninyo yan.
Dahil 12 years lang ako ng mangyari ang EDSA 1, paki-eksplika nga po kung bakit nasabi ninyo na exact “copy cat” si Trillanes ni Honasan. Gusto ko ring maliwanagan at marahil ang iba pa rito sa blog.
Thank you po.
PV, BK,
ang lahat ng ito ay bunga ng kawalan ng sinseridad ng kasalukuyang pansamantalang administrasyon at mga alagad/kumakatawan dito. sa kaso ni ltsg trillanes, ang malaki ang pagkukulang ay si gen roy cimatu sapagkat hindi niya tinupad ang kanyang salita. alam naman niya at ng lahat sa military hierarchy ang tungkol sa malawak na korapsyon sa buong sandatahang kinasasangkutan mismo ng mga heneral na siyang ipinag-aalburoto ng mga junior officers, pero wala silang ginagawang hakbang upang ito ay maputol sukdulang mamatay nang walang kakuwenta kuwenta ang mga karaniwang kawal na siyang umaani ng bulok na bunga ng kawalanghiyaan ng mga namumuno.
at, BK, prinsipyo ang kay trillanes, hindi ang pagiging copycat ni gringo.
para sa akin, mas gugustuhin kong bigyan ng pagkakataon ang isang katulad ni trillanes kaysa mga pasabit sabit na mga pulitikong hindi mapirme sa partidong kinaaaniban.
I would go for the young guns.
hindi na kailangan pang pangalanan kung sino sino sa mga pulitiko ang parang mga sirkerong patalon talon, pasabit sabit, palipat lipat at padikit dikit sa mga inaakala nilang makapagsusulong ng kanilang pansariling ambisyon sa pulitika. huwag ding bigyang importansya ang mga nai-akdang mga batas (daw) dahil hindi naman naging kapakipakinabang sa pamumuhay ng karaniwang mamamayan. habang nasa poder panay papogi at pakyut lang. nakakasawa na.
pagbabago naman!
Mrivera,
I understand.
But I repeat:
A military officer, following the tenet of his sworn mission cannot defeat his “enemies” by training his guns on INNOCENT CIVILIANS particularly when the target of his grievances are safely tucked away far from the area that he had threatened to blow up.
I would have had a different view of him had he threatened to blow up HQ PN, HQ PA or Malacanang Palace.
PV,
naniniwala ako sa punto mo. at siguro, maniniwala ka rin na pinagsisisihan nina trillanes kung bakit hindi pa ang malakanyang o mismong ang GHQ at DND ang kanilang inokupahan.
Mrivera,
Ako, naniniwala na nagsisisi ang grupo ni Sonny Trillanes kung bakit hindi pa sa pagmumukha ni Glueria itinuon ang kanilang mga baril!
Mrivera,
Malaki pa nga ang compound ng GHQ, mahirap ma contain but HQ PN mas maliit, madaling ma-secure! Some of the troops in the Trillanes group could have done a good job of boarding the Admiral’s barge, one of the mainstaying FPC and could have trained FPC’s 25 caliber guns on Malacanang.
Wrong tactic!
They wanted to take the battle to urban warfare, what better way than to have taken it to the heart of Manila right on Roxas Blvd, a stone throw away from Malacanang… tsk, tsk!
PV, chi,
tapos na ang bahaging ‘yan ng kasaysayan. dito tayo sa mas magiging kapanipaniwala at hindi marahas, sa balota magkakaalaman.
Right you are Mrivera on the threat to blow up Oakwood but Trillanes is not a done issue yet, not by a long way.
Mrivera,
Soon after Trillanes filed his COC, I called my sisters in Pinas to campaign for him na among relatives, friends and neighbors. No Gringo for us this time. Trillanes is a go, bata at dapat nating subukan. At least meron siyang balls, kahit nabansot rin ang Oakwood!
PV,
Come to think of it, but I have a feeling Oakwood was chosen because it is near in fact the military camp right next to Forbes Park. Oakwood is just a stone’s throw away from the JAL hotel in Makati. And another reason was Trillanes, et al were probably hoping Filipino civilians against the Bansot would come to their rescue and Makati is an easy venue—no hassle in getting permits to rally in support of the mutineers. Napalpak because of the sundalong kanin among them who must have grumbled especially after seeing their wives, children, et al being used by the crooks to convince them to lay down their arms.
These things were not all shown on TV, but we got the complete transmissions from Manila and I saw the attempt by Cimatu, et al to hoodwink the rebels into submission, even promising them pardon and freedom, and the Bansot would listen now to their grievances if they would stop. I know Trillanes and his other companion were the last ones to be taken after their fellow mutineers had surrendered.
I felt really disappointed myself then. In retaliation, I did all my best together with my group to make sure Filipinos here would register to vote. I got a letter of appreciation for that in fact, but I don’t know now where I have put it, because it was not important to me. It was just a piece of paper!
SAKIT NG PILIPNAS, SI TRILLANES ANG LUNAS!
BTW, it would be OK if Tamano will be included BY ALL MEANS in the Opposition list. Hindi na puede ang mga trapo at mga basura ng tainted Philippine politics. I know the Moslems want a real tough guy to vote for.
Magno:
Sinabi mo pa. Sising-sisi sila kung bakit hindi pa sa Malacanang sila pumunta. Ang kaso mo nga ni sa Mendiola nga hindi ka makapasok. Hinalangan ni Bansot ng mga container ng kargo na ginagamit sa pier. Iyan ang duwag!!! Samantalang sa Makati, libre na ang pagkuha ng permit kung sasali ang mga taumbayan, malapit pa doon sa military camp na puede rin nilang isunod kung sakaling magtagumpay sila. Kaso mo may naduwag yata sa mga sundalong kasama ni Trillanes, et al.
Anyway, hindi naman nilang kailangan sumunod sa protocol lalo na kung ang military naman ay palpak na pinamumunuhan ng isang bogus na presidente. Bakit nga naman sila susunod noon sa hepe nilang peke din lalo na tipong mga kriminal pa! Aba tignan mo naman na parang Mafia ang pagpapatakbo ng bansa!
SAKIT NG PILIPINAS, SI TRILLANES ANG LUNAS! ALAN CAYETANO, PAG-ASA NG MGA PILIPINO, HAWAK MO!
black night:
that you won’t vote for Trillanes is a revelation!
i respect your position, of course, although i intend to vote for the man. a query please: if it’s Gen. Danilo Lim submitting himself to an election, will you cast your vote in his favor?
PV, ibig kong sabihin ng tapos na ang bahaging iyon ng kasaysayan – nakilala na si trillanes dahil sa kanyang ipinaglalabang prinsipyo na hindi niya nakuhang kamtin dahil nga sa corrupt military leadership na pilit tinatakpan ang lahat ng kabulukan.
oo nga’t nakakulong siya at hindi pa tapos ang kasong kanyang kinakaharap, subalit sa panibagong kabanatang kanyang sinusulat (ang pagkandidato), dito natin malalaman at makikita ang suporta sa kanya ng karaniwang mamamayang hindi magawang itaguyod siya nang tuwiran dahil merong mas una silang dapat harapin – ang pang-araw araw na pangangailangan.
sa darating na eleksiyon, ‘yan ang araw ng kanilang pagbuhos ng suporta kung naniniwala sa ipinaglalaban ni trillanes.
Re: “but we got the complete transmissions from Manila and I saw the attempt by Cimatu, et al to hoodwink the rebels into submission, ”
Hoodwinked or not Trillanes et al would have had to confront the forces outside Oakwood led by no less than by General Efren Abu who later became CSAFP, who was a mean fighter himself. Anyway, there would have been bloodshed, collateral damage had they not surrendered – civilians would have been killed.
I am harsh on military officers committing blunders, much harsher on them than I would be of common gangsters particularly when they threaten to blow up an area that’s mostly civilian concerns.
Planting explosives in a purely civilian area to put their message across in my book is tactical fantasy.
Re: “oo nga’t nakakulong siya at hindi pa tapos ang kasong kanyang kinakaharap, subalit sa panibagong kabanatang kanyang sinusulat (ang pagkandidato),”
Agree. Let’s hope if or when he’s elected, he wouldn’t opt for the same tactical blunder he did in Oakwood to get his message across.
I do hope if ever he’s elected, he will also, finally run after his former chief, Rear Admiral Domingo whom he has absolved of wrongdoings because Trillanes was not being truthful in his papers – Domingo was just as bad and as corrupt as the other navy officials.
PV, am sure that’s one of his objectives, and not only RAdm Domingo, but the entire CGSC (corrupt generals’ secured circle).
Mayaman siguro itong si Trillanes ano? Kung ang mga iba Miliones lang ang pera, siya Trilanes o Trillion. Para sa akin, mahirap manalo ang walang partido at nakakulong. Hanggang simpatiya lang ang aabutin niya. Kung ako siya, magsimula muna siya sa Kongreso. Tapos, puwedeng tumakbo siya ng Senado sa 2010. Mas madali ang Kongreso dahil distrito lang ang tratrabahuin niya. Ang pagka-senador buong bansa. Kung maging Kongresista siya, di may kapalit na sina Chiz at Alan sa Kongreso.
Statement made by Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro in regards to Antonio Trillanes running for Senate, ” Winning an elective position would not exonerate you from any criminal liability.” Tell that to mutineer Gloria Arroyo, since she didn’t even win an elective position, yet stole it twice instead. Then, again Bacarro is just trying to impress someone with his stupidity. Where in the heck they all come from anyway?
toney, ltc bartolome bakero is another sucker of the bogus commander-in-thief thinking this stinking administration will stay power forever and shall reward him with speedy promotions to star rank!