SC junks Trillanes' petition to perform Senate duties

What do we expect from Gloria Arroyo’s Supreme Court? Majority of the magistrates are GMA’s appointees. They have to protect their queen at all cost. The rule of law is prostituted under the corrupt Arroyo Regime.


SC junks Trillanes' petition to perform Senate duties

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday junked Senator Antonio Trillanes' petition seeking that he be allowed to perform his duties as a Senator while still under detention.

In a 16-page decision written by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, the SC dismissed for lack of merit Trillanes' petition, which seeks that he be allowed to attend Senate hearings and functions, set up office and be allowed to accept visitors in his detention cell.

The SC reminded Trillanes that "election to office does not obliterate a criminal charge", and that his electoral victory only signifies that when voters elected him, they were already fully aware of his limitations.

The high court did not find merit in Trillanes' position that his case is different from former representative Romeo Jalosjos, who also sought similar privileges before when he served as Zamboanga del Norte congressman even while in detention.

Quoting parts of the decision on Jalosjos, the court said that "allowing accused-appellant to attend congressional sessions and committe meetings five days or more a week will virtually make him a free man… Such an aberrant situation not only elevates accused appellant's status to that of a special class, it would be a mockery of the purposes of the correction system."

The SC also did not buy Trillanes' argument that he be given the same liberal treatment accorded to certain detention prisoners charged with non-bailable offenses, like former President Joseph Estrada and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Nur Misuari, saying these emergency or temporary leaves are under the discretion of the authorities or the courts handling them.

The SC reminded Trillanes that he also benefited from these "temporary leaves" given by the courts when he was allowed to file his candidacy and attend his oath-taking as a senator before.

The SC also believes that there is a "slight risk" that Trillanes would escape once he is given the privileges he is asking, citing the Peninsula Manila incident last November.

Trillanes also failed to tell the court his new guards or handlers after the Peninsula incident.

Trillanes filed the petition back in 2007 when he was still under military custody in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. -- Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN News

Tipo-Tipo Debacle: Mortars were duds, warnings ignored

Muslim insurgents beheaded 10 Philippine Marines


Senator Antonio Trillanes IV wants a deeper probe on Philippine Marines’ debacle in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan Island. Some 81 mm mortars were duds (palso-boguk-palpak). Favored suppliers may have delivered fake, old stock, low quality and sub-standard ammunition. In 2003 Oakwood incident, Magdalo soldiers complained about anomalous AFP procurement dealings. Corruption in the AFP is deeply embedded. The lost of lives in Tipo-Tipo debacle could be prevented. Low quality ammunitions and other military hardware can be partly blamed for the debacle. It’s not right to send troops in the battlefield with unreliable guns and ammunitions. Heads must roll (chopped) for the Tipo-Tipo fiasco.

According to Luwaran website, MILF forces captured six M-60 machineguns, eight M-203 grenade launchers, ten M-16 rifles, one 60 mm mortar, several night vision goggles and destroyed two 6×6 military vehicles.
How about failure of intelligence?

AFP explains malfunctioning arms
Corruption troubles Philippine Military
Eyewitness account: Seven hours of hell in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan

Los Angeles Times: Jailed Filipino likely to be a senator

Comelec’s delaying tactics regarding the proclamation of Antonio Trillanes IV as senator of the republic is direct contempt and insult to 11+ million voters. It’s affirmed and validated that Chairman Benjamin Abalos is following orders or directives from usurper Gloria Arroyo. Trillanes cannot be dislodged from the winning circle even he got zero votes from Maguindanao. Chairman Abalos and rest of elections commissionaires are disgrace to Philippines’ fragile democracy. Anak ng jueteng, wala ba kayong natitirang delicadeza? RESIGN en mass!
UPDATE: The Commission on Elections is set to proclaim Genuine Opposition candidate Antonio Trillanes IV as senator on Friday, DZMM reported.

The COMELEC en banc, which is sitting as National Board of Canvassers, announced its decision after canvassing votes from Surigao del Norte Thursday. It said Trillanes got 44,604 votes from the province.

Trillanes placed 11th in the Senate race. ABS-CBN News

The Trillanes Dilemma