SEN. Antonio Trillanes reiterated today his support for President Aquino in his first visit to the Senate since he was elected senator in May 2007.
In his first press conference at the Senate, Trillanes said his support for Aquino, who granted him and more than 300 members of the military amnesty, would include fighting corruption.
“One way we can help the President is to give him information on the ground. We can relate these directly to the President without going to the media first for publicity purposes,” he said.
He said he is excited to buckle down to work even as he has filed 176 bills, 19 of them have been signed into law, while in detention.
He said he will apply for amnesty once the proclamation, which has been concurred in by both chambers of Congress, in January.
He also said he plans to run for reelection in 2013 to revalidate the people’s trust in him.
After seven years and five months in detention, Trillanes was released Monday evening to the custody of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Trillanes and more than 300 members of the Magdalo group were charged with coup d’etat at the Makati Regional Trial Court and several offenses in the military court for taking over the Oakwood Hotel on July 27, 2003 and calling on the people to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo whom they accused of condoning corruption in the military.
In what was seen by political analysts as a protest vote against Arroyo, Trillanes, campaigning from prison with a minimal budget, was elected senator in 2007 with 11 million votes.
On Nov 29, 2007, he and a group of officers that included Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim walked out of the hearing in Makati court to the Manila Peninsula Hotel on Ayala Avenue where they again called for the withdrawal of support from Arroyo who was at the time embroiled in the $329 million NBN-ZTE scandal.
Makati Judge Oscar Pimentel last week deferred the promulgation of the coup d’etat case against Trillanes and the rest of the Magdalo group, saying he was bowing “to the wisdom and grace” of Aquino’s amnesty proclamation.
Upon his release, Trillanes issued the following statement: “I would like to express my gratitude once again to President Aquino and all those who made this Amnesty possible.
Likewise, I thank my family,friends and supporters who patiently stood by us through this long and difficult journey.
Finally to our countrymen, be assured of our unwavering commitment to selflessly serve our Country and People. May God bless us all.”