Trillanes charged with graft

Navy Lt. Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV, one of the leaders of the failed July 27 military uprising, was charged with graft and corruption and unexplained wealth before the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday.

In filing the charges, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. told Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo that Trillanes had concealed his assets in violation of Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees.

On the other hand, Chief Inspector Percival Antolin Rumbaoa, who investigated the assets of Trillanes, said the renegade military officer had "unlawfully" acquired eight vehicles.

"The acquisition, totaling eight vehicles, is highly irregular," he said. "He merely receives a salary of more or less P20,000 a month. He deliberately omitted declaration of ownership of the vehicles. The assets disclosed in his SAL would not be sufficient to acquire the same."

Police said Trillanes did not declare his assets when he filed his statement of assets and liabilities in March 1997, where he claimed he had P25,000 deposited in banks, P50,000 in investments, and P10,000 worth of books and jewelry.

"Clearly, the mere act of omission in the declaration of the newly acquired assets constitutes a criminal offense," police said.

Trillanes’ SAL from January to December 2000 did not reflect the newly acquired properties, particularly the Nissan Terrano in January 1996.

Among the questionable vehicles of Trillanes identified by police are: a Terrano (UJW-717), Mitsubishi Pajero 2000 (RIZ-222), five Mitsubishi Delicas (XCZ-552, XBD-542, XBF-574, XBY-183 and WLU 445), and a 1995 Kawasaki motorcycle (PH-6949)

All the vehicles were registered as "private" and the owner’s address was listed as Lot 28, Block 9, Town and County Homes, Phase VI, Antipolo City.

Meanwhile, National Bureau of Investigation Director Reynaldo Wycoco said Trillanes had placed P1 million in a "pyramiding scheme," which he was able to pull out before the investment house crashed. — With reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marichu Villanueva

"One of the issues he raised was corruption in the military," he said. "Maybe he should be able to explain why apart from the seven vehicles, he had a P1 million investment in Glasgow."

Wycoco said Trillanes received P150,000 a month between August to October from Glasgow, apparently the monthly interest of his investments in the company that allegedly victimized military and police officials,

"It’s perfectly alright for people to make placements in investment houses," he said. "But in the case of Trillanes, (he is) an officer of the (Armed Forces)."

Wycoco said Army Capt. Garry Alejano, another leader of mutinous troops, had also invested P50,000 in Glasgow and that he received P7,500 a month, presumably as interest earnings.

Alejano was also able to get his entire investment on Nov. 18, 2002, he added.