Trillanes: Reports on being Senate's top spender 'misleading'

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday branded as misleading the reports—citing the Commission on Audit (COA)—describing him as the biggest spender in the Senate for 2011. At a press conference Monday, Trillanes said the media reports were "misleading" since they only included the expenses of the senators' offices and permanent committees. "Somehow misleading kasi ni-report [na] ganun, parang may hints na binulsa 'yung budget... may insinuation na you are spending it unwisely, unncessarily," he said. "If it will be angled in that light, parang may hint na napakagastos ko. Hindi naman," added Trillantes, a former Navy officer and current chair of the Senate committee on civil service and government reorganization. In 2010, Trillanes was listed by COA as the second biggest spender in the Senate after Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. In 2008, he was listed as the fourth biggest spender even though he was in detention at that time for his participation in several attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration. Employees Trillanes explained that he probably has the most expenditures because he has a lot of employees, which he said is around 40. "It is based on the quota given to my office and I simply filled it up," he said. "I did not go overboard sa limits. Lahat 'yun may benefits so mas lumalaki [ang expenses] pero 'di napupunta sa 'kin 'yun [funds]." He also said that the partial COA report does not include expenses of oversight committtes of senators, realigned budget for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) from unfilled plantilla positions, and additional budget given by the Office of the Senate President. If these were to be taken into consideration, Trillanes said he and Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III would probably have the lowest expenses in the chamber. "Pag sinama 'yung oversight committee, sigurado ako pinakamababa," he said. "I just felt the need to clarify things [because] the report was based on a partial report by COA. Wala dun 'yung oversight committee. It will spell the difference," he added. Last week, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile called for a moratorium on the creation of oversight committees while the Senate studies the distribution and fund allocation for the said panels. Trillanes, meanwhile, said that instead of asking why his office spends a lot for employees, people should ask where the budget for unfilled positions in the Senate goes. "Pag 'di napununan 'yan, 'di 'yan nasosoli sa treasury. Nire-realign 'yan so 'di ako ang dapat tanungin bakit napuno ko 'yung quota kundi tanungin ninyo 'yung iba kung may unfilled positions," he said. He noted, however, that he is "giving everybody the benefit of the doubt" and will not think someone is purposely spreading negative news against him. Trillanes, who is a member of the minority, has been calling for the replacement of Enrile as Senate president since last year. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News