Honasan, Trillanes allowed to file election candidacies

The Makati City Regional Trial Court yesterday granted former senator Gregorio Honasan and accused mutiny leader Lieutenant Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV’s request that they be allowed to personally file their certificates of candidacy for the May polls in which they will both run for senator.

Branch 148 Judge Oscar Pimentel opted, however, not to let them visit the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Manila on the same day.

In two separate orders, he said Honasan will be allowed to file his certificate on Feb. 7 while Trillanes may do so the day before. The court specified the dates to ensure that they will visit the Comelec on office days.

Pimentel sent copies of his ruling to the Comelec to allow the office and its election officers to prepare for Honasan and Trillanes’ filing of their respective certificates.

He granted their separate motions despite strong objections from government prosecutors. Honasan and Trillanes are facing coup d’ etat charges in connection with the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

The court ordered the Philippine National Police to take charge of security measures in so far as Honasan, who is detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

As for Trillanes, his military custodians in Fort Bonifacio, where he and other Magdalo Group leaders and members are detained, will be in charge of security during the young officer’s trip to and from the Comelec.

Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, of the Department of Justice, tried to block Honasan’s move, arguing that he is a flight risk.

According to him, the former senator’s case is not the same as that of Trillanes because Honasan has a history of escaping.

Honasan’s lawyer Daniel Gutierrez assured the court that his client won’t escape, arguing that the cashiered army colonel only wants to exercise his right of suffrage, file his certificate of candidacy, run for senator in the May polls.

Meanwhile, Pimentel and his staff will conduct an inspection of Honasan’s detention facility in Laguna today in relation to his request to be transferred to the Makati City Jail.