I've committed no crimes, just told truth about Duterte —Trillanes

Embattled Senator Antonio Trillanes on Thursday said he was not guilty of committing any crime, insisting he has only been exposing the "truth" about the alleged irregularities under the Duterte administration.

"Ako po ay nakulong ng pito't kalahating taon, binigyan ng amnesty ng Aquino administration so finulfill ko 'yan ng ako'y nakalaya. Wala po akong nagawang krimen hanggang ngayon," Trillanes said in an interview on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho.

"Maliwanag po sa mga kababayan natin na ako'y ikukulong nila kahit wala akong ginawang krimen kung hindi maglabas ng katotohanan ukol sa mga krimen at kapalpakan nitong Duterte administration," he added.

Trillanes, a fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his policies, said that the Chief Executive and his allies are determined to put him behind bars.

"Determinado po 'yang si Duterte at kaniyang mga alipores na ipakulong po ako dahil ako po ay isa sa mga masugid na tagabatikos sa kaniyang administrasyon, tayo po ang nagexpose ng mga anomalya at kapalpakan ng kaniyang gobyerno," Trillanes said.

"Meron po tayo na impormasyon na natanggap na as early as pag-assume nila ng July 2016, hinahanapan na ko ng butas para nga makabawi itong si Duterte dahil inexpose ko 'yung bilyon bilyon niya sa bangko. Kami naman ay tuloy-tuloy lang ang trabaho," Trillanes added.

To recall, Trillanes had claimed that Duterte had bank transactions amounting to P2.2 billion from September 2006 to December 2015. The President repeatedly denied the accusation of the senator.

Signed by Duterte on August 31, Proclamation No. 572 said that 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."

The opposition senator reiterated that revoking the amnesty was illegal: "I maintain na ang pag-revoke ng amnesty ay bawal po 'yan. Pag binigay mo na 'yan, di mo na puwedeng bawiin."

Trillanes has been placed under the custody of Senate President Vicente Sotto III. His lawyer already filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging Duterte's proclamation.

Vice President Leni Robredo paid a visit and expressed support to the senator, saying that Duterte's move against Trillanes was meant to silence the critics of his administration. —JST, GMA News