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Ex-UP prexy confirms report Trillanes roughed up by police


Francisco Nemenzo Jr, former president of the University of the Philippines, on Saturday confirmed a report that a police general hit Senator Antonio Trillanes IV when he was arrested after Thursday’s failed power grab at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City. In an interview with QTV’s Balitanghali, Nemenzo said that while police officers did not hurt any of the civilians they arrested, military officers in last week’s siege were roughed up by authorities. He said Trillanes was hurt the most. “Hindi ako nasaktan at saka ‘yong mga kasama kong civilians. Wala akong narinig pero ‘yong mga sundalo talagang sinaktan sila especially Senator Trillanes (My civilian companions and I were not hurt. I didn’t hear any report that the civilians were hurt. But the soldiers were roughed up, especially Senator Trillanes)" Nemenzo said. “Sinuntok siya (Trillanes) ng isang heneral na pulis, and then hinigpitan ng husto ‘yong plastic na parang handcuff and just to humiliate him they dragged him by holding his belt, (I saw that a police general punched Trillanes, and then his handcuff was tightened. It appeared that they wanted to humiliate him, they dragged him by holding his belt)" he added. Nemenzo denied participation in the siege. He said he was at the Makati court to attend the hearing on the Oakwood mutiny as he always did before. “May hearing noon ang kaso ng Oakwood (mutiny) at saka sa lahat ng hearings nila laging nando’n ako. So I went there to attend the hearing…I did not expect any commotion. I did not expect what happened afterwards. Many of us were caught by surprise," he said. He added that he was not aware of any plan to walkout from the hearing and call for a “people power" revolt against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. “Wala (ng prior information). I think this is the best kept political action of the military group kasi usually two weeks before kumakalat na ‘yong mga rumors," he said. The former UP president also said the filing of rebellion and inciting to sedition charges against them by the police was ridiculous. “Nakakatawa ‘yong kaso na ‘yon dahil walang specific acts of rebellion ang na-attribute sa amin (The complaints filed against us were ridiculious because they were not able to define the rebellious acts we allegedly committed) They only mentioned Vice President (Teofisto) Guingona and his only rebellious act was to propose a toast," he said. “So the complaint filed by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) is really very defective," he added. Nemenzo said that despite the incident, his group Laban ng Masa would continue with their fight. “We will continue to campaign for the end of this illegitimate government and to struggle for social change. We will continue that and that is a cause that we share with the military rebels," he said. - AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV

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