Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN, PPAB)

Former president Rodrigo Duterte's latest prodding of the military to withdraw its support from President Marcos is a crime, plain and simple. 

Thus, said former senator Antonio Trillanes IV in a chance interview with House of Representatives reporters Wednesday, Nov. 27.

"That is a crime. ‘Yung ginawa niya inciting to sedition. Kailangan managot siya diyan (What he committed was inciting to sedition. He needs to be held accountable for that)," said Trillanes, a former Navy lieutenant.

'Solidly behind the President'

But how will the men and women in uniform respond to Duterte's call? Citing personal information, Trillanes says that he believes "senior officers are solidly behind the President".

This notwithstanding, Trillanes advised the current Marcos administration to "not be complacent".

"Kailangan siguraduhin na walang makukuha na mga officers itong mga Duterte, kasi malaking problema iyan," he told reporters.

(It should be ensured that these Duterte won't get to any officers, because that would be a big problem.)

Trillanes claimed that only "five percent" of the entire military sympathizes with the former president, and that they're mostly composed of junior officers.

As to how far these officers are willing to go for Duterte, remains to be seen.

"Based doon sa monitoring namin, marami, hindi naman marami, kundi mayroong may simpatya kay Duterte. Pero to actually risk their lives, freedom, and their careers para sa kaniya, I still doubt that at this point," the ex-senator said.

(Based on our monitoring, there are many, well not really many, but there are those who sympathize with Duterte. But to actually risk their lives, freedom, and their careers for him, I still doubt that at this point.)

Trillanes has been a Duterte critic even before the latter won the presidency in 2016.