Trillanes welcomes DND, AFP statements but insists he is no longer under military court jurisdiction

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV welcomed Friday the statement of the Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines to respect the judicial process and defer to the decision of the court on the matter.

“The AFP is a very professional organization, wala na tayo nu'ng unang panahon na blindly following sila. Ito, at least, naga-abide sila sa proseso,” Trillanes told reporters inside his room when he showed his sleeping set up.

However, on the statement that the AFP is on the process of constituting the general court martial, the senator insisted that he is no longer under their jurisdiction.

“Hindi na ako myembro ng Armed Forces, wala silang jurisdiction sa akin effective 2007, maliwanag ‘yan sa mga dokumentong prinocess ko. Ngayon kung talagang maga-abide sila sa judicial processes, then they should respect itong mismong order ng kanilang court martial,” he said.

He said the case he faced before the court martial has already been dismissed and the AFP has  already issued him a clearance.

“Ngayon meron na akong clearance. ‘Yung clearance hindi ka bibigyan niyan kung meron kang kaso sa military,” he added.

“They can convene the court martial all they want but hindi na ako subject sa ganyan.

Alam ng buong mundo na sibilyan ako e, senador ako ,bakit mo ako iko-court martial. Ano ang kaso ko? Paano ano ang reappointment  orders ko e me clearance na ako,” he said.

Trillanes further said the AFP cannot charge him with a new case since all the charges in connection with the Oakwood incident have been filed before a civilian court and later dismissed.

“They cannot charge me with any new case. Lahat ng kaso in relation to the Oakwood incident is na-file-an na ako sa civilan court.  Double jeopardy ‘yun,” he said. — MDM, GMA News