I covered Sandiganbayan’s penultimate trial of plunder angaist former President Estrada. I missed the proclamation of Sonny Trillanes. But I visited him late afternoon. They had a salo-salo at the detention center. Everybody’s happy.
People close to him said as early as 8 a.m. he was ready. They were all irked when told that he couldn’t leave because of additional requiremnts being imposed by Esperon. Hurried calls were made.Later, since there was nothing that Esperon could do anymore to prevent his proclamation, his guard was instructed to handcuff him in both hands instead of the usual practice of handcuffing his one hand to the security escort.
The sight of a senator-elect arriving for his proclamation handcuffed generated more sympathy for him. One retired military officer said,”Sen. Trillanes will one day be president of this country.” I asked when would that be (he is 35, minimum age to be president of the Philippines is 40), he replied, “Sooner than we think if they continue handcuffing him, step on him, abuse a duly elected senator, other demeaning tactics.”
Gerard Naval’s story in Malaya:
Senator-elect Antonio Trillanes IV was an hour late for his proclamation today after the Armed Forces leadership tried to block his temporary release from detention by insisting that he also needed the military’s permission.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon later relented and dispensed with the military permission requirement.
The proclamation was scheduled at 9:30 a.m.
Trillanes, escorted by Marines personnel, was in barong tagalog and was handcuffed. The handcuffs were removed a few meters from the Session Hall of the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, where the ceremony was held.
Esperon has earlier refused to allow Trillanes to leave detention after his lawyers failed to apply for a temporary pass from his military custodians.
Trillanes’ lawyer Reynaldo Robles said there was no need for them to file for a temporary pass as there was already a court order from Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel of Branch 148.
“May malaking problema tayo dito. The AFP’s mandate is to uphold the Constitution. Pero ang AFP chief ayaw sundin ang court order, ang Comelec, ang Constitution, ang 11 million voters at ang Commander-in-Chief niya mismo dahil ang Department of Justice nga hindi kumontra e,” Robles said.
“Ang dapat sa kanya (Esperon) mag-resign na kung ayaw niyang payagan. Anyway, they cannot stop his proclamation, even in absentia,” Robles said.
Trillanes was proclaimed the 11th new senator with 11,138,067 votes.
He came all the way from his detention cell at the Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio and was brought to Manila in a six-vehicle convoy.
In a press briefing after the ceremony, Trillanes said his victory may be attributed only to the “will of the people.”
“Taus-puso akong nagpapa-salamat sa mga sumuporta sa akin. Ang tagumpay ko ay tagumpay ng taong-bayan. The people’s victory can only be (replaced) sa pamamagitan ng tapat na serbisyo sa publiko,” he said.
Trillanes said he hopes Esperon “realizes his true place in this government. He is just an instrument in this government and yet he tried to impose his will over everybody.”
The Makati court is hearing the coup d’état charges against Trillanes for his role in the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny. He also faces court martial for conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman.
Asked to explain his victory that came despite being in prison, Trillanes said, “Maybe I came at the time people are longing for a change… an alternative… a new choice.”
He said his camp will ask permission from the Makati court so he can attend Senate hearings and sessions.
“If not, I think the Senate can amend their rules in order to accommodate my peculiar situation,” he said.
He said he will help Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, chair of defense committee, in investigating reports of graft and corruption in government.
Asked about his message to the Arroyo administration, Trillanes deadpanned, “Let’s try to keep the mood festive.”
AFP information chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said Trillanes will have to ask permission from the military before he can leave his detention at the Marines headquarters.
“We must remember that there are two distinct cases here…We have two different courts and these courts are trying him,” said Bacarro, referring to the Makati and military courts.
National security adviser Norberto Gonzales said it is up to the courts to decide if the Senate would be allowed to gain custody of Trillanes, thereby freeing him from seeking permission of the court or his military custodians every time he goes to the Senate. – With Victor Reyes and Jocelyn Montemayor
Related stories:
Here’s ABS-CBN’s story: I will remain in detention as long as my fellow Magdalo soldiers are in jail – Trillanes
From the Inquirer: Trillanes – ‘I came at a time when people long for change’
Air Force chief: Trillanes win will have ‘negative effect’
Malacañang congratulates Trillanes
Sinabi mo pa Ellen. Iyan ang aking unang reaksyon…galit kay Esperon who moved all hells to prevent Sen Sonny’s proclamation! Pero wala siyang magawa, people have already spoken and already numb to their gimmicks!
Imagine, Senador…nakaposas ang magkabilang kamay! It generates “positive” publicity for Sen Sonny, nevertheless.
Assperon is not using his pea brain. By handcuffing Trillanes in both hands, he just succeeded in picturing this extraordinary man as being persecuted in public eyes. Gloria and Assperon deserved more cursing from the public!
ANG MGA PIKON AY TALO!
“As long as my companions are still in detention, I will not leave detention,”
What can I say?! This is the very line that made him No.2 in my hometown in Bataan! (Iyan ang ipinagkalat ng Ate ko).
Walang iwanan, Sonny! Hindi ka rin namin iiwanan sa iyong mga adhikain! CONGRATULATIONS!
The sight of a senator elected by the people, handcuffed by an illegitimate and unelected government, is really an outrage to democracy.
Ellen,
Thanks very much for this article. I’ll be away for 15 days to attend my annual spiritual retreat in the Catskills, NY. I’m happy and contented for now that Trillanes had been proclaimed, but at the same time sad (though confident that Koko will triumph) of Koko’s predicament.
I’ll be incommunicado during the period. I’ll be praying for Koko, your health and well-being, and those of you my friends!
Be blogging after. 🙂
@Ellen, thank you for the article…
@Chi! Have a wonderful retreat!
Great report Ellen!
Chi, have a very, very wonderful and restful retreat!
By the way, 6 vehicle convoy, huh? They’re afraid the new Senator might escape and attack Malacanang? Heheh! If so, approve!
We must remember that Military Law is subservient to Constitutional Law and that’s what these idiots Esperon and NSA Gonzalez must remember!
Noong araw, siguro natamaan ang ulo nitong si Assperon ng cartridge sa bala ng kanyon tuwing may kampanya laban sa MILF. Kasi palaging nakatayo ito sa likod ng mga lumang kanyon giving orders … while his men are crawling towards the enemy.
“All right men, you can fire wherever and however you want. Fire at will. The more you fire, the merrier! Understood?”
Yes, Sir!
KABLAMMMM!!! SSSSSHHHhhhh… BOOOMMMM!
THUNGG…plak.. Tooink!
Uughh, Ano yon?
He, he, sorry Sir, bas’yo ng bala po, tumama sa ulo mo.
Ano? You are fired!
RAT TAT TAT tat tat tat…
Go home, Gago!
Sabi mo sir, Fire!
Anyway, i’ll run for the senate after checking-in at the Oakwood.
tik… tak… tik… tak…
Sir, just been proclaimed. YOU ARE FIRED!
Off topic, but will somebody tell me how bribery can be plunder when they are two different crimes, and merit two different punishments, one life and the other with even a minimum punishment as in the case of Erap? Golly, nakakakunsumi naman! Sa kagagago nila ng batas, naging parang kangaroo court na tuloy ngayon ang Sandigang Bayan! Nasaan na ang talino ng mga ungas na iyan?
Bobo nga e, Anna. Esperon is forgetting that this is not war time when the military may have the say, but even them soldiers in war time are subject to some international rule and/or convention just as in time of peace the military and the soldiers are subject to the laws of the land, civilian or criminal. Kaya nga tanong, bakit may military junta na ba?
Nakakatakot ang utak ni Moron Esperon! Akala niya nasa guerra siya at patay kung patay pero iyon pala siya ang unang tumatakbo pabalik gaya noong aso ng mother ko!!! Tapang-tapangan pa kunyari ha. Bilib din ako kay Senator Trillanes kasi nakapagpigil pa siya sa kagaguhan noon Esperon. Tarantado din ano? Hindi pa inalisan ng posas si Trillanes hanggang sa loob ng Comelec. Gago din ano? May court order na nga na on furlough and temporary freedom si Trillanes, bakit pinaposas pa ng ulol? O di nagmukha tuloy siyang tanga!!! Boboooooooooo! Common sense wala pa ang ungas!
Another Believe it Or Not- a Senator Elect to be Proclaimed Handcuffed and with armed convoy? The more Esperon persecutes him- more and more people will sympathize with him. Believe ako sa mga sagot niya sa interview- when asked if he would persecute Esperon- his response was while personally he would like to, he, however is not vindictive.
And such humility- he follows the regulations imposed on him by Esperon.. through the courts..handcuffed..That is a leader- he knows how to follow. Chi- enjoy the beauty of the mountains of Catskill- a perfect place for a retreat..
Incidentally, one of the Readings today is Psalm 23- The Lord is My Shepherd. Vs3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised. Even, if I go through the deepest darkness I will not be afraid,Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.” Coincidental?-for this day that Trillanes is proclaimed? I don’t know if he is a Christian but for many of us.. this is Providential. Right? Do I hear a loud STRONGLY AGREE?
Ellen:
Asahi Shimbun has a short article on Trillanes today re his proclamation, and his desire to participate in the Senate hearings, etc. even from his cell, but as what happened yesterday, Mr. Sipsip tried his best to stop the Senator from leaving and attending his proclamation. Nagpapatawa talaga ang Cheat of Staff na ito.
The strong opposition of the present bogus government is sensational news for even the Japanese no doubt. It is I guess what makes his story attractive to the Japanese, who love sensational news, and they surely find our favorite Senator’s guts as VERY INTERESTING.
You can bet your bottom dollar Asahi Shimbun and perhaps, Mainichi Shimbun will follow up his political career from now on. Good! For I bet you, a lot of these newspapers would be happy to invite Senator Trillanes to Japan if he is allowed to post bail and travel abroad. At least, iyan hindi mahilig maglamyerda unlike the unano.
In his column RVPefianco mentioned that Trillanes birthday was May 14. WOW what a birthday gift the people gave him.
Apparently, the delaying of the proclamation of Trillanes and his being transported in handcuffs to the Comelec proved a blessing in disguise. Foreign media found it sensational. In the Yomiuri Shimbun article, it also mentioned something about Honasan but just in passing re Honasan’s possible participation in the Oakwood mutiny. Belat, Assperon, et al!
AdB: Sa takot ni Esperon kaya Trillanes was escorted and handcuffed nagpatawa siya. Tingnan mo may pinagtatawanan tayo ngayon. The Three Stooges- BA, HE at GAY HIM AH.
Hindi napigilan ni Esperon si Trillanes. Dapat kay Esperon mag-resign na bilang Chief of Stop!
Kahit ginapos pa nila pati mga paa ni Senator…no can do…a Senator is a Senator…Sir!
Assperon made fun of himself. Kawawa ka naman , Toto Ass! Ba’t ganun na lang ang takot mo kay Senador Trillanes? Di ba ikaw ang may MGA baril? Tsk…tsk…tsk! What a strategy Toto Ass…! Lalo mo lang pinatunayan ang pagkaduwag mo!
Hindi ko maintindihan- ano ba yong documents nahahanapin ni Abalos & Co? Are they copies of the ones stolen? How would we know? Waay gid pulos ining si Abalos (Abalos is but useless. An exercise in futility.
Rose,
Sabi mo sa kabilang thread: Ang sabi nga ni Bedol- “I don’t know how they were stolen?”
Ang sagot dyan at ito ang bago: INCREBEDOL!
Yuko, could you e-mail to me the Japanese news item in Asahi Shimbun with your translation? Thanks.
OK, Ellen, I’ll do that in the afternoon, because right now, I have to go to a funeral. I will do that as soon as I get back.
Ellen,
I’ve translated the article published in Asahi Shimbun today. The other one on June 8 is rather long, and I plan to translate it later in the day after I finish my other translation job. I have four tapes to finish till Wednesday and I can do other works only a little in between breaks.
But don’t worry, I’ll send you my translation as soon as I have finished translating it. Mukhang mas maganda ang article na iyon by an Asahi staff, not one quoted from some other news agency. Quoted ka pa nga.
Funny, Ellen, that Comelec (not Abaloslos I suppose) has been quoted saying that 6 out of 10 Filipinos are now against the criminal hibernating presently at the palace by the murky river. In other words, amenado silang talo ang TU. Kaya bakit pa bibilangin ang dinaya ni Ampatuan, et al. Kagaguhan na iyan!
Off-topic, but why are US soldiers helping probe the bomb blast case in Davao? For all the yabang of the criminal squatting at the murky river, isn’t she ashamed that Filipinos cannot solve a crime without US help?
Di bale sana kung may involved naman kano sa kaso or any US Mafia involved in the said case. This is a case in fact similar to Alejandro Lichauco’s claim that the unano and JdV are offering the Chinese Philippine sovereignty for a share of Chinese prosperity.
This should be stopped as a matter of fact. Parang binenta na naman ang Pilipinas sa mga dayuhan!
Talaga naman, pati ba naman Batas,
gusto pang sapawan ng mga alagad ng dilim?
Anak ng pating na gumigiling-giling!
I am exasperated with esperon!
Halata na talagang
Si Trillanes, Patriot;
Si esperon? Idiot!
If you come down to it, Gloria, Gunggong Gonzales and Esperon have only to blame themselves for a Trillanes win.
And because Esperon, as Yuko rightly says, is bobo in the extreme, he is cutting his own nose to spite himself.
Handcuffing, humiliating, making it difficult for Trillanes, begrudging Trillanes for the 11 million votes that catapulted the young former naval lieutenant from a prison cell to the Senate is the worst thing he can do to himself, to Gloria and to the military.
Esperon is preparing the grounds for the underdog Trillanes to be president in 2010! Hahahahahah!
received this from the netherlands:
Van: loriraam@raamwerken.nl
Onderwerp: Picture of Trillanes during proclamation
Hi there,
Where can I get a picture of Senator Trillanes during his proclamation to be
used for the cover of Philippine Digest magazine, (my Dutch husband who
lived in the Philippines for 30 years and the undersigned) published here in
the Netherlands. This non-profit magazine’s is just to showcase our
country’s image and its people’s inspirational achievements especially the
OFWs. This will be for our May-June issue to be posted last week of June.
More pictures if possible for our inside story.
I’m one of those who view the interesting blog of Ms. Ellen Tordesillas,
hence I saw your email above. I hope you don’t mind my sending this email.
Many thanks for your help and Greetings from the Netherlands!
Take care and regards,
Mrs. Lori Roa-Raam
“Off-topic, but why are US soldiers helping probe the bomb blast case in Davao?” – Ystakei
I don’t think they are there for that purpose alone.
During the Vietnam war, while the VietCongs and GIs were busy butchering each other, one US Aircraft Arrier is also busy making geological surveys along its coastline looking for oil. After the war Standard Oil cornered the largest oil deposit.
Mindanao, too, is home to rich oil and mineral deposits. Iyan ang totoong dahilan kung bakit may gulo sa aking Lupang Sinilangan.
…one US Aircraft Carrier is also busy making geological surveys…
Sampot there is why Filipinos will allow these idiots to claim a better Philippines with their willingness to surrender Philippine sovereignty to foreigners.
There is no war in the Philippines as a matter of fact. It just so happens that the country is run by criminals who are supposed to run after their fellow criminals but cannot because those criminals are what they use to survive and pretend that they are at least better than these criminals hiding in the bondocks and being tagged by some foreign names when they are nothing but highwaymen or “tulisan” whom a friend says will be willing to lead a normal life if they can have the means to do so!
Dito, Sampot, we also have big US installations that majority of our people are not actually happy about, but at least, when it comes to dealing with criminals, our policemen can prove that they are far better than even policemen in the USA.
Our soldiers cannot meddle in such civil affairs even in investigation of cases involving Japanese terrorists like members of the Japanese Red Army, which is famous for joining the Palestinian war against Israel and for the bombings in some Israeli airports in the 70’s.
Our lawmakers, etc. have more pride and decency not to make the Americans look more superior than the Japanese to let them meddle in civilian affairs as the investigation of crimes and criminals in Japan. The Filipinos should have more pride and decency to insist that Americans do not make them look stupid for them to meddle in the internal affairs of the Philippines, not even honor the judgment of a Philippine judge as in the case of the horny US soldier caught with his pants down!!!
Anna:
Senator Trillanes, as Ellen has stated, cannot run for president in 2010 because of his age, and I do not think he is that ambitious to try to change the rule for his own ambition, because time and time again he has proven that he is primary moved only by his love of country to try these seemingly ambitious ventures of his as in Oakwood or this year’s election.
Hopefully, I will still be around when he does become president! Gosh, ang layo pa pala bago maging talagang great nation ang Pilipinas, sans any crooks responsible for what the Philippines have become.
Oh, is that so? Anyway, Esperon being the bobo that he is, doesn’t seem to realize that what he is doing, saying uttering, his malevolence vis a vis Trillanes is running counter to his own propaganda, what an utter pillock this Esperon is. But I’m all for it – sige Esperon, bastusin mo pa ang 11 million people na bumoto diyan kay Trillanes and when they’ve had enough of your humiliating their Senator, they will skin and roast you alive!
Tanga!
Assperon will be hanged by his own utterances and ego. In the case of Gen Miranda, Gen Lim, Col Querubin et al, he already prejudged their case by his numerous press releases on the incarcerated officers’ guilt. He should have learned his lesson then. Now, he is doing the same thing to Trillianes. Even more stupid are employing a six car convoy and putting handcuffs on the Honorable Senator Trillianes on his way to Comelec. Will Trillianes attempt to escape when he knows that there are over 11 million Filipinos who love him? Stupid,stupid Assperon. The onlyn time he will wake up will be in his new home-JAIL!
I spoke to my sister who was at the PMA function over the weekend where Assperon was the guest speaker. Even the new cadets caught the mistakes he made in his speech! DUMBO!
ParaSaBayan:
Fashion ala Revolucion
The case of Abimael Guzmán suit in prison cell versus the suit of military rebels.
Habang nasa kulungan sina Trillanes natatanim sa isipan ng taumbayan ang pagkamuhi sa liderato ni Esperon.
Nabaling ang galit ng taumbayan at hindi na kay GMA.