Trillanes files candidacy for senator

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has filed his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday morning.

Trillanes is running for his second term as senator, this time under the Liberal Party (LP).

He came to the Comelec with former marine commandant Ariel Querubin and his family.

When asked whether he was confident of winning another term he said “nobody can be overly confident even if they look good in surveys, I leave it up to the people to decide.”

On the issue of the cybercrime law he said that there was no need to worry because there are remedies available.

He added there was no clamor against the bill when it was being deliberated in the Senate. “Everybody thought there wouldn’t be so many affected.”

“We are ready to listen and change what needs to be changed,” he said.

Trillanes also noted that when he signed the committee report the provisions on online libel were not there. “At the time it was approved in the Senate there were no complaints,” he said.

The Cybercrime Prevention Act has been widely criticized for certain provisions that many say would infringe on the freedom of speech.