Trillanes reminds Calida, Guevarra: Duterte will not be forever president
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday vowed that he will run after officials of the administration if they will continue to stand by President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572.
Speaking to reporters in a televised interview, Trillanes said in Filipino: “When the time comes, I will really run after them if they insist in this stupidity.”
The senator specifically mentioned Solicitor General Jose Calida and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who, according to Trillanes, are “supposed to protect rights” even of people from the opposition.
“They should be disbarred from practicing the legal profession,” the lawmaker added.
Duterte, through Proclamation No. 572, claimed that Trillanes, a grantee under former President Benigno Aquino III's Proclamation 75, did not file an official amnesty application form.
Guevarra, who is currently government’s officer-in-charge while Duterte is abroad, explained on Tuesday that upon review, it was found out that Trillanes allegedly failed to comply with requirements for amnesty—a claim denied by the senator.
The Justice chief also said that government lawyers were involved in the review but Calida kept mum on his agency’s involvement.
Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, however said that Calida inquired and requested for Trillanes’ amnesty documents.
The senator has initiated and is heading a probe into alleged impropriety of Calida’s stock ownership of a security agency that bagged multi-million contracts with several government agencies.
Trillanes also mentioned but did not name the spokesperson of the Department of National Defense.
Director Arsenio Andolong, Defense spokesperson, earlier said that the DND is looking for “missing” documents on Trillanes’ application for amnesty.
He reminded them that Duterte will not be in power forever. “Kapag wala na si Duterte, nobody will protect them,” he added.
Trillanes’ legal team is set to take his case to the Supreme Court later on Thursday.
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