Senator Antonio Trillanes IV warned Tuesday that the conviction of former Major General Jovito Palparan for kidnapping two students of the University of the Philippines (UP) was a lesson for those who abuse power.
Trillanes made the statement as he lamented that he himself was being “harassed” with the revocation of his amnesty and impending arrest.
“Isang leksyon ito sa mga security forces na binigyan sila ng kapangyarihan para proteksyunan ‘yung mga citizens ng ating bansa. Hindi dapat natin ito abusuhin,” said the former military officer who led several coups and mutinies against the government.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the conviction of former-Major General Jovito Palparan for kidnapping should serve as a lesson for people who abuse their power. INQUIRER FILE / EDWIN BACASMAS
(This is a lesson to our security forces that they were given power to protect the citizens of our country.)
READ: Palparan guilty of kidnapping UP students
“Let it be a lesson sa mga nag-aabuso ngayon ng kapangyarihan. Darating ang panahon, ‘yung mga nag-utos sa kanila ay wala na sa pwesto at hindi sila kayang proteksyunan,” he said in a press briefing.
(Let it be a lesson to those who abuse power now. A time will come when those who ordered you to do such acts will be out of their position and they won’t be able to protect you.)
Palparan was found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention by the Malolos Regional Trial Court on Monday in connection with the disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.
Trillanes, one of the most vocal critics of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been holed up in the Senate for two weeks since Sept. 4, when news that the Chief Executive had “revoked” the amnesty given him by then-President Benigno Aquino III in 2011 for armed uprisings he led against the government. /cbb