With 11,138,067 votes, Trillanes was declared the 11th winner in the race for 12 Senate seats last May 14. At 35, Trillanes is the youngest member of the Senate and he also made political history by becoming the first ever detained individual to be proclaimed a member of the Senate.
Many political observers believed was Trillanes’s election to the Senate a protest vote against the Arroyo administration.
Trillanes, wearing a white Barong Tagalog, arrived two hours late for his proclamation because of the delayed receipt by his military custodians of a court order allowing him to attend his proclamation.
His handcuffs were only removed when he entered the office of Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos.
In a press briefing after his proclamation, Trillanes said his election to the Senate is a "vindication" and "absolution" for him.
Trillanes faces a coup d’etat case at the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) for spearheading the short-lived Oakwood mutiny in July 2003. He is also undergoing a separate trial by a military court for violation of Articles of War.
He said his election to the Senate indicates that the people are longing for change. "I came in at the right time when people are longing for change," Trillanes added.
Trillanes said his victory “is primarily the Filipinos victory” and that "the people have seen the light."
Trillanes, meanwhile, criticized Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon for attempting to prevent him from attending his proclamation rites Friday.
"General Esperon tried to impose his will against everybody. He tried to impose his will against the Comelec and the court and he try to impose his will against the 11 million people who voted for me. I hope he'll realize his true place in this government structure," added Trillanes.
The military initially stopped Trillanes from leaving Fort Bonifacio, where he is detained coup raps, despite an order issued by the Makati RTC allowing the rebel soldier to attend his proclamation because Trillanes did not have a temporary pass.
But Trillanes’s lawyer Reynaldo Robles said there was no need for them to file for a temporary pass since they have secured a court order.
Meanwhile, Trillanes said he will seek permission from the court to allow him to attend Senate sessions and hearings. “If not, I think the Senate can amend their rules in order to accommodate my peculiar situation,” Trillanes added.
He also said he will help Senator Rodolfo Biazon, who will be heading the Senate defense committee, in investigating numerous reports of graft and corruption in the government.
Asked what is his message to the administration of President Arroyo, Trillanes’ s said “let’s try to keep the mood festive.”
Trillanes is now the seventh candidate of the Genuine Opposition (GO) to be proclaimed senator.
Those who were proclaimed last week were GO’s Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Manuel Villar, Panfilo Lacson, Alan Peter Cayetano and Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III; Team Unity’s Edgardo Angara and Joker Arroyo; and independent candidates Francis Pangilinan and Gregorio Honasan.
Fighting for the last slot are GO’s Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel (12th) and TU’s Juan Migeul “Migz” Zubiri (13th) with only a 111,561 vote-margin.
At Malacañang, the Arroyo administration said it is leaving it to the courts to decide if the Senate would be allowed to gain custody of Trillanes to enable him to hold office in the Senate while facing coup d’etat charges.
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said the executive branch would not wish to meddle in the issue.
Gonzales refused to say if he still views Trillanes as a threat or if he sees the need to allow the military to have custody over him but he expressed hope that one of the failed 2003 Oakwood Mutiny leaders would finally follow the law which he would now help enact. (MSN/JMR/Sunnex)
