Senators agree on Trillanes custody issue

The Senate on Monday finally approved the resolution to ask a Makati court for the custody of detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV so that he could perform his duties as a lawmaker. "The continuing inability of Sen. Trillanes to participate in the sessions and other official functions of the Senate unduly deprives the more than 12 million Filipinos of representation in the Senate, as well as the Senate as an institution and a co-equal and coordinate branch of government from his due participation," the chamber said through Senate Resolution No. 84. The Senate said this may be addressed if the judiciary, specifically Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 148, would allow the temporary transfer of Trillanes from the Philippine Custodial Center in Camp Crame in Quezon City to the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms. According to the Senate, by doing this, the detained senator could participate in sessions and other official functions of the Senate, in accordance with his mandate as a lawmaker. The Senate said the transfer would not be tantamount to a release and is not an "impairment" to the doctrine of separation of powers among the three branches of the government. Senator Joker Arroyo had earlier opposed the Senate resolution because it included a clause saying it seeks to “rectify an apparent injustice," pertaining to the detainment of Trillanes. The Senate later on removed the clause. The Makati RTC Branch 148 had earlier denied Trillanes' motion to attend the opening of the Senate session, citing an Supreme Court (SC) ruling which had earlier denied him from performing his duties as senator. Trillanes was first jailed because he faced coup d’etat charges before the same court for his participation in the so-called "Oakwood Mutiny" on July 27, 2003. He also later faced rebellion charges before the Makati City RTC Branch 150 for taking part in the so-called "Manila Peninsula hotel siege" in November 2007. -VVP, GMANews.TV