Trillanes seeks court permission to attend Senate opening session

The camp of detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has asked the court to allow him to attend the Senate’s opening session on July 26, giving him a chance to participate in the election of the chamber’s new president. On behalf of Trillanes, lawyer Reynaldo Robles filed last week the motion for leave before the sala of Makati regional trial court branch 148 Judge Oscar Pimentel, hoping that the same be discussed this week. It is the constitutional duty of the detained senator to attend the first day of the session and participate and vote in the election of the new officers of the Senate, the motion said. Besides the Senate President, the senators will also choose their new ProTempore, Majority and Minority leaders. It said Trillanes’ participation in the opening session of the Senate is particularly crucial because only 21 of the 24 elected senators will most probably be present if he will not be able to attend the session. An aspirant for the Senate presidency needs 13 votes to secure the chamber’s top post even though the chamber only has 21 warm bodies on the floor. Oakwood mutiny, Manila Pen siege Under the 1987 Constitution, majority of the Senate is pegged at 13 because the number of senators is fixed at 24. Trillanes is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame for leading attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration on two occasions, one in July 2003 and the other in November 2007. He has no voting powers, unless a court allows him to attend the sessions. Recently, a vacancy was created after Benigno Simeon Aquino III sought and won the presidency last May. Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson went into hiding shortly after a Manila court issued in February this year a warrant for his arrest stemming form his involvement in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, but the Senate has not yet declared his post as vacant. "Hence the participation of the herein accused-movant is of utmost importance and may prove to be very crucial in the election of the new leadership of this co-equal and coordinate branch of the government," the motion said. If granted, Trillanes would not only participate in the voting. He said he would like to have lunch with the other senators at the Senate lounge and then meet his staff at his office until 3 p.m. SONA Trillanes has no intention of attending Aquino’s 1st State of the Nation Address at the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City as his motion stated that he will stay only at the Senate premises. “The Senate of the Philippines being a high secured facility manned by the PNP and the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms, accused-movant believes that his custodian will not have a difficult time in securing him during the requested brief furlough," the motion said. The senator’s camp assured the court that Trillanes “as a former officer and as a gentleman" will abide with the directives the court may issue and will promptly and voluntarily return to his detention cell. The Senate during the 14th Congress passed Resolution 3, allowing Trillanes to participate in its proceedings through electronic means. President Aquino was one of the 15 senators who signed the resolution. However, the chamber was unable to implement it. [See: Zubiri urged to act on pro-Trillanes reso] Trillanes has yet to say who he will vote as Senate President. — RJAB Jr./RSJ, GMANews.TV