Trillanes: A productive senator

MANILA, Philippines - The first time he campaigned for a seat in Congress, re-electionist Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was incarcerated for being part of a group of soldiers who staged a coup d’etat against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Now a free man, courtesy of an amnesty granted by the Aquino administration, Trillanes is looking to serve a full six-year term in the Senate by running under the administration coalition Team PNoy.

The naval systems engineering graduate of the Philippine Military Academy is a productive senator. He filed 734 bills and resolutions during the 14th and 15th Congress, and ranked second among senators in terms of sponsorship of national bills and committee hearings conducted.

More importantly, Trillanes authored and co-authored the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Act, the immediate release of retirement benefits of government employees, the Archipelagic Baselines Law, Data Privacy Act of 2012, and Geology Profession Act of 2012.

He was also instrumental in the passage of the Philippine Respiratory Therapy Act of 2009, Philippine Interior Design Act of 2012, Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, Cheaper Medicines Law, Philippine National Police Education and Promotions Act, Expanded Senior Citizens Act, and the University of the Philippines Charter.

He also served as the chairman of the Senate committees on civil service and government reorganization, amateur sports competitiveness, and the oversight committee on government procurement.

Trillanes is turning 42 this August and during his term, he was among the youngest senators. But being young did not prevent him from questioning the leadership of the oldest member of the upper chamber.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile may have taken in Trillanes under his wing shortly before the young lawmaker was granted amnesty in 2010, but their relationship soured when Trillanes called for the ouster of Enrile as the head of the institution.

Trillanes questioned the leadership style of Enrile and likened it to that of a playground bully - one who always gets what he wants.

Trillanes admitted he was uncomfortable being pushed around by his seniors in the Senate, but initially kept his cool because this was probably just how things were in the chamber.

He said that he learned to be patient during his seven and half years in detention for his role in the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 and again in 2007 with the Manila Peninsula Hotel siege.

However, Enrile hit back at Trillanes right away by revealing the younger legislator’s role in the talks between the Philippine government and China on the territorial row in Panatag (Scarborough) shoal. Enrile said it was reckless and contrary to the interest of the State.

Trillanes bared he had the ear of President Aquino and that his meetings with a Chinese counterpart were sanctioned as part of backchannel talks to resolve the dispute.

He also said that it was his background as a naval officer with various encounters with the Chinese side that led to his being tapped by the President for the negotiations.

Based on his curriculum vitae, Trillanes had a five-year sea duty experience logging 35,316.78 nautical miles.

His unit was responsible for the apprehension of dozens of smugglers, illegal loggers, poachers, human smugglers, and illegal fishermen in numerous maritime law enforcement operations conducted in the waters of Batanes, Ilocos, Cagayan, Isabela, Zambales, Scarborough, Quezon, Bicol, Palawan, Mindoro, Romblon, Iloilo, Cebu, Zamboanga peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Davao, and Maguindanao.

He was also involved in numerous naval maneuvers in support of ground operations directed against the Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements.