Trillanes extends sympathy to ‘Ompong’ victims while in Senate

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. (File photo by CATHRINE MAE GONZALES / INQUIRER.net)

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Saturday extended his sympathy to victims affected by Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) while staying at the Senate.

“Tayo ay nakikiramay sa naapektuhan ng bagyong Ompong sana tuluyan nang lumabas. Kaninang madaling araw nawalan ng kuryente pero narerestore na ng generator ang elektrisidad,” Trillanes said in an interview aired over Radyo Inquirer DZIQ on Saturday.

[We are expressing our sympathies with affected by Typhoon Ompong, which hopefully would exit the country. Earlier at dawn, there were power interruptions at the Senate, but power is being restored through generators.)

Trillanes added that he would remain at the Senate to respect the court cases and for his safety following the looming arrest against him after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the revocation of his amnesty.

“Ang napag-agreehan ng aking mga kasamahan at abogado na manatili muna sa senado para di maapektuhan ang mga court cases at di magkaroon ng untoward incident kung may magtangkang mag-arrest using proclamation,” he said.

[My colleagues and lawyer agreed that I should remain at the Senate so as to not affect the court cases and to avoid any untoward incident in case someone would arrest me using proclamation.]

Despite the President’s remark that the government would wait for the issuance of a warrant of arrest, Trillanes lamented that he could easily be arrested if he would leave the Senate.

“Kasi kaya panay ang sabi na pwede ka lumabas yun pala aarestuhin. Nakita yan nung nagpa-gasolina lang ang aking sasakyan, mukhang ang plano nila paglabas ko hindi na nila ako pababalikin,” Trillanes said.

[He would always say I can leave the Senate but it might turn out I would get arrested. This was seen when I was about to refill gasoline for my car, it seemed that their plan was to arrest me when I leave the Senate.]

On Sept. 4, Duterte nullified Trillanes’ 2011 amnesty through declaring Proclamation No. 572 which also ordered the senator’s arrest.

On Friday, the Department of Justice failed to file an arrest warrant against Trillanes from Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150.

The Supreme Court referred to the lower courts Trillanes’ motion for a temporary restraining order on Duterte’s proclamation. /atm

READ: DOJ fails anew to secure arrest order vs Trillanes