Trillanes won't plead guilty

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and other accused ringleaders of the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny are not likely to plead guilty to charges filed against them before military and civilian courts.

Lawyer Reynaldo Robles, who represents Trillanes, told reporters yesterday the detained lawmaker would not follow the lead of his former comrades, who had pleaded guilty to the crime of coup d’etat.

“The senator has no plans to do that,” Robles said. “His convictions have not changed. Corruption in government persists, it has even worsened.”

However, Robles said Trillanes respects the decision of the nine military officers who changed their plea from “not guilty” to “guilty.”

“The senator does not begrudge them for their actions,” he said.

“They have been detained for five years. While the senator does not agree with what they did, he will not block their move, especially if it will be for their freedom.”

Army Captains Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo – two of the nine military officers who had pleaded guilty – are classmates of Trillanes in Philippine Military Academy Class 1995.

Meanwhile, Trixie Cruz-Angeles, counsel for fugitive Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, said her client would not change his “not guilty” plea.

“Categorically, no. Never. When hell freezes over. Is the pope protestant?” Angeles said in a text message.

Theodore Te, counsel for Air Force Capt. Segundino Orfiano and 1Lt. Francisco Ashley Acedillo, said his clients would not plead “guilty” because they could still be acquitted.

“There’s always a possibility of acquittal, so right now, no,” he said.

Trillanes and several other junior officers are detained at the Philippine National Police custodial center in Camp Crame in connection with the Nov. 29 standoff at the Peninsula Manila hotel.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the conviction of the nine junior officers would not affect the case against Trillanes because a guilty plea is an individual choice.

“Technically it will not, because this is a guilty plea of the nine officers based on their own participation in the coup d’etat,” he said.

“Now, so far as Senator Trillanes is concerned, there is evidence against him and he has his own defenses and the court will decide on the basis of that.” — James Mananghaya