Trillanes won’t seek any elective post in 2019 polls

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is not running for any elective post in the coming 2019 elections.

“Papakita natin kay Mr. Duterte na kahit wala ka sa puwesto, kaya mo siyang tindigan, basta nasa tama ka,” Trillanes said during a press conference after he accompanied Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano of Magdalo in filing his certificate of candidacy for a Senate seat in next year’s elections.

President Duterte voided Trillanes' amnesty last September 5 on the grounds that Trillanes did not file for amnesty and that Trillanes did not admit guilt on his past crimes as a mutineer.

Records from the Defense Department and video footage of various news organizations, however, have showed that Trillanes applied for amnesty; that he stated his admission of guilt in all violations of law in his amnesty application and that his amnesty application granted by then President Benigno Aquino III with the concurrence of Congress was found in order.

Since then, the government has revived rebellion and coup d’etat charges against Trillanes before two Makati Regional Trial Courts.

The former Navy officer is out on bail over rebellion charges while the Makati RTC Branch 148 has yet to decide whether to grant the government’s plea for it to issue an arrest warrant and a hold departure order against the lawmaker.

Trillanes denied that the voiding of his amnesty is what stopped him from seeking an elective post again.

“Marami na rin akong kaso before. Hindi naman naging hadlang ‘yan,” Trillanes, who participated in two failed mutiny attempts in 2003 and 2007, said.  — RSJ, GMA News