Let SC settle Trillanes’ Senate status – Villar

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is now under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court since he has a pending petition to allow him to perform his duties as a senator, according to Senate President Manuel Villar Jr.

Villar said the planned resolution of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago seeking to reprimand Trillanes would become “useless”  because the Tribunal has already acquired jurisdiction over the former rebel soldier, who led last week’s standoff at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati.

At the Supreme Court, priority is being given to the petition of Trillanes to allow him to attend sessions and other official functions of the Senate.

“That is a priority,” SC spokesman Midas Marquez said. “May timeline naman yan para hindi maging moot.”

However, Marquez said the Tribunal would still have to issue a decision on the petition of Trillanes.

Trillanes also asked the SC to enjoin the Armed Forces from banning him from meeting his Senate staff and receiving guests at the Marine stockade in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig.

Named respondents in the petition were Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati RTC Branch 148; AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon; Vice Adm. Rogelio Calunsag, Navy chief; Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, Marine commandant; and Lt. Col. Luciardo Obena, commanding officer of the Marine barracks in Fort Bonifacio.

Last Oct. 17, the SC ordered the respondents to submit their comments on the petition of Trillanes.

Judge Pimentel has denied the motion of Trillanes to be allowed to attend Senate sessions and to hold committee hearings inside the stockade.

The Marine stockade is a high-security detention facility, not a civilian government office where outsiders could come and go, according to Judge Pimentel.

Meanwhile, Villar said the Senate has to act on Santiago’s resolution, which will have to undergo voting procedures. 

However, it is doubtful that the resolution will be approved by the majority after Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.  vowed to block it on the floor, he added.

Villar said he will discuss with the other senators in a caucus how the Senate should tackle Santiago’s planned resolution on Trillanes.

The Senate has already passed a resolution supporting the petition of Trillanes before the SC to allow him to attend Senate sessions, he added.

On the other hand, Senator Pimentel said it would be unfair to  suspend or expel Trillanes because the Makati court has not allowed him to attend the sessions and hearings of the Senate.

“I will oppose any move to impose disciplinary sanctions on Senator Trillanes,” he said. “It is enough that he has been arrested and jailed by the authorities and charged formally with the courts. Let justice take its course.”

After Santiago files her resolution, it will be debated by the senators on the floor to determine if there is basis to investigate Trillanes before it is referred to the appropriate committee, he added.

Senator Pimentel heads the so-called Solid 8 comprised of himself, and Senators Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Rodolfo Biazon, Benigno Aquino III, Manuel Roxas II, Panfilo Lacson, and Trillanes.  

Enrile: Don’t censure Trillanes

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile opposes any move to reprimand Trillanes  for last week’s takeover of the Peninsula because the Senate must “not dignify” his act.

Speaking over radio station dzBB, Enrile said he would not support a resolution to be filed by Senator Santiago in plenary session today for the Senate ethics committee to reprimand, suspend or expel Trillanes for disorderly behavior and unparliamentary acts.

“Kung ako masusunod, bakit ko papatulan yun,” he said. “Why do you have to give importance to a person who made a fool of himself?”

Enrile, defense minister during the martial law years, said he will not waste time on Trillanes.

“That’s a judgment call for each senator,” he said. “I will never waste my time with a foolish person. Trillanes is a recidivist.”

The Senate must not be dragged into the case of Trillanes, according to Enrile.

Meanwhile, Sen. Edgardo Angara said the executive and legislative branches of government should “balance duty and compassion” and speedily finish the budget presentation.

“While we recognize the events in Makati, we must still continue with our duty here, and that is to finish the budget submission and interpolation of the departments’ budgets,” he said.

“The national budget is the single most important piece of legislation that we should pass. Being unable to pass this budget means reverting to last year’s budget, and that to me, has even more dire consequences than the siege, especially since we have increased spending in education and infrastructures.”

Angara has finished submitting the budgets of all the departments and agencies under his subcommittee, except for the budgets of the National Housing Authority and the National Youth Commission. – with Mike Frialde