By Genalyn Kabiling
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV could be hallucinating if he thinks the revocation of his amnesty will lead to a military-backed people power against the government, Malacañang said Thursday.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Trillanes could believe in his own "myth" but the military is unlikely to rally behind him.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
He argued that unlike President Duterte, the opposition senator has done nothing to advance the plight of the country's soldiers.
"Siguro po, guni-guni niya iyan, good luck po, dahil siya naman napakatagal na niyang naging senador, wala naman siyang nagawa para sa mga kasundaluhan natin. Si Presidente, dalawang taon pa lang nakaupo bilang Presidente, nadoble na niya ang suweldo ng ating mga kasundaluhan ," Roque said during a press conference in Jordan.
"Kaya nga po kampante kami dahil sa pinakitang pangangalaga ng Presidente sa mga kasundaluhan, eh baka nananaginip po si Senator Trillanes na maraming sasama sa kanya ," he added.
Trillanes earlier claimed that some members of the military were "extremely bothered" by the President's "political move" in nullifying his amnesty for involvement in two mutinies years ago. He said these military men have expressed support for him amid the perceived persecution from the administration.
Trillanes also reportedly said the military was just waiting for the people to be fed up with the situation and mount another uprising against the government. He noted that history has shown that there was palpable public sentiment against the government prior to the first and second EDSA People Power Revolutions.
The President recently issued Proclamation No. 572 revoking a Department of National Defense resolution that granted amnesty to Trillanes for failure to meet its minimum requirements.
Duterte has ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “to pursue all criminal and administrative cases” against Trillanes in relation to the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Peninsula Manila hotel siege.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have also been directed “to employ all lawful means to apprehend” Trillanes so he can stand trial for crimes he is charged with.