Trillanes to Bato: PMA did not teach us to do what’s wrong

By: Julliane Love De Jesus - 8 years ago

“We were not trained by the (Philippine Military) Academy to do what’s wrong and illegal,” said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” De la Rosa during the Senate inquiry on extrajudicial killings in the country on Monday.

While grilling De la Rosa on the spate of vigilante killings under his watch, Trillanes reminded his fellow alumnus that the prestigious military academy did not teach them to engage in anything illegal.

“Let’s just do the right thing. Alam natin kung ano ang tama. Hindi tayo tinrain sa academy to do what’s wrong and illegal (We know what is right. We weren’t trained in the academy to do what’s wrong and illegal),” Trillanes said.

De la Rosa is a member of PMA’s “Sinagtala” Class of 1986 while Trillanes came from “Marilag” Class of 1995.

The senator, who has been critical of President Duterte even before he was elected to office, also warned the police that Duterte will not always be there to protect them as his term would only last for six years.

“General, umiikot ‘yung mundo eh. Ngayon si Duterte naka-pwesto; eh malay natin ‘yung susunod na pwesto ang priority ay human rights at magconduct ng investigation, by then retired na kayo at nakatiwang-wang mga pulis,” Trillanes said.

(General, the world is always turning. Now, Duterte is in the position; who knows if priority of the next in line is human rights and will conduct an investigation, by then you’d be retired and the police would be bare and exposed.)

“Kapag binuksan ang honest to goodness investigations, kailangan properly sagutin nila. Otherwise, sila rin manangot long after commanders nila nagretire na—‘yung mga nag-guarantee sa kanila na, ‘Sagot ko kayo,’ walang mangyayari habang sila nasa pwesto. Pero hindi sila habang buhay nakapwesto,” he said.

(When honest to goodness investigations are opened, they need to be properly anwered. Otherwise, they will still be liable long after their commanders have already retired — the guarantee they had, “I’ll answer for you,” nothing will happen while they are in position. But they won’t have their position forever.) JE/rga