Trillanes can talk to media until winning senators proclaimed

A Makati court has extended the media accesss granted to Genuine Opposition senatorial candidate Antonio Trillanes IV, a detained Navy junior officer facing charges for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, until the proclamation of the winning senators. Trillanes is ranked 11th in the Commission on Elections partial official tally as of Thursday afternoon. Twelve of 24 Senate seats are at stake in the elections. In granting Trillanes' request for continued access to the media, Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati regional trial court branch 148 reminded him that he cannot discuss his case or criticize the government during interviews. Trillanes is facing coup d'etat charges before the Makati court. On April 17, the media was allowed to interview Trillanes during the campaign period for the May 14 elections. Trillanes was a key leader of more than 300 soldiers belonging to the "Magdalo Group" who took over the posh Oakwood Premier Suites in Makati City on July 27, 2003. The group denounced corruption and called for the resignation of senior government officials during the stand-off, which ended without bloodshed after 18 hours. Trillanes has since been in detention following the mutiny. -GMANews.TV