Left and right, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. INQUIRER FILES
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV hit Malacañang on Monday after the Palace said claims that he committed treason should be investigated first before any conclusions could be made.
Some netizens criticized Trillanes on social media after he met with US Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who confirmed in a Twitter post that they discussed “protecting #human rights amid [the] narcotics crisis” in the Philippines.
Rubio previously criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs as he, together with two other US senator, sent a letter expressing “grave concern on the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations” in the country.
Netizens claim Trillanes committed treason by meeting with Rubio.
“Nagtraydor daw ako sa bayan dahil nakipag usap ako kay US Sen. Marco Rubio kahit pa sinabi na nya mismo na PH-US alliance, corruption and human rights situation ang pinagusapan namin,” Trillanes said in a statement.
He then repeated murder accusations against Duterte.
“Ano naman ngayon ang tawag sa mga protektor ng isang presidenteng pumatay at nagpapapatay ng mga Pilipino, mga bayani? Pwede ba, umayos kayo!” he added.
On Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar was asked in a radio interview whether Trillanes should be charged with treason.
Andanar told dzMM that “We have to study this first. It’s hard to make hasty pronouncements.”
“Yan ay pag-aaralan ng DOJ. Pag-aaralan yan ng mga abogado ng ating pangulo, sapagkat ito rin po ay mga legal matters,” he said. /cbb