By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Members of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAAI) were allegedly used for a propaganda against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Trillanes made the claim after a manifesto calling for his ouster from the association of PMA graduates surfaced anew amid the voiding of his amnesty.
Senator Antonio Trillanes. (Czar Dancel/ MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The manifesto from PMAAAI Eagle Fraternal Chapter, dated September 12, 2018, was published as a newspaper ad Thursday, five months since it was first released in April.
Like the April publication, the recycled manifesto called for the called for the "immediate ouster" of Trillanes from the PMAAAI roll for acts they described as "unbecoming of a PEEMAYER" and "contrary to the Academy's motto of COURAGE, INTEGRITY and LOYALTY."
It cited the same reasons, such as Trillanes supposed inciting to sedition, committing coup d e'tat and allegedly committing graft and corruption, and "treasonous" acts.
It can also be observed that the some 80 signatures in the September manifesto were illegible, apparently scanned from another document.
"Somebody is using these PMA graduates, because some of the signatories there have already told us that it was an attendance sheet in their meeting on October 2017," Trillanes said in Filipino.
"If you will see that, It's the same signatures. Exactly alike. They only change their positions but, it was analyzed by our staff, it's the same thing," he added.
Trillanes said a "significant" number of the signatories reached out to him and denied the authenticity of the manifesto. He tagged the Duterte administration as being behind the release of the document, claiming that it was a propaganda to make PMA graduates believe that their ranks are angry at him.
He also denied the existence of an Eagle Fraternal Chapter in the PMAAAI, saying it was not recognized by the organization.
Trillanes urged Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez to clarify such statements being circulated in media.
Meanwhile, Trillanes maintained that he was not appealing for supportt from the military, saying they will stay loyal to their mandate in the Constitution.
He said the AFP will remain united despite the difference in their views.