Roque owns up to old blog praising 'heroism' of Trillanes

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday admitted he expressed great admiration for the principles of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV several years back.

Roque made the admission in a live interview on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho Thursday as an old blog post of his praising Trillanes has gone viral.

"Tama po yan. Noong mga panahon na po yon ay talagang humanga ako sa mga ginawa ni Trillanes," Roque said.

"Pero kami po ay nagkahiwalay na ng landas," he added.

Trillanes has turned out to be one of the fiercest critics of President Rodrigo Duterte, Roque's principal.

In his old blog, Roque had praised Trillanes for his leadership of the Magdalo group that sought the removal of then President Gloria Arroyo over her alleged tolerance of corruption in the military. Trillanes was granted amnesty for his role in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

But Duterte signed Proclamation 572 saying the amnesty extended to the lawmaker was void from the start as Trillanes supposedly did not comply with the "minimum requirements to qualify under the amnesty proclamation."

In the face of heightened tension between Trillanes and Duterte over the proclamation, Roque said he still regards the opposition senator as "a very good friend."

"So ganyan po talaga ang buhay, but ako naman po I continue to treat Senator Trillanes as a very good friend," Roque said.

"Kaya po wala akong personal na banat kay Senator Trillanes at kung meron akong sinasabi sa kanya, by way of defense lang po dahil binabanatan niya 'ko ng personal," he added. —JST, GMA News