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PENINSULA MONITOR editorial cartoon, June 30, 2007 issue |
The request by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to be allowed to attend Senate sessions has been denied by the Makati Trial Court in a decision handed down Monday July 30 by RTC Judge Oscar Pimentel.
The court also denied the request for Trillanes to set up a working area in his place of detention at the Marine Brig. at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
In denying Trillanes’ requests, the court cited an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Martinez vs. Morfe (SCRA 37) and the recent case of People vs. Jalosjos (324 SCRAA 6890).
In quoting the Supreme Court ruling on the Martinez vs. Morfe case, Judge Pimentel said: “Allowing accused-appellant to attend congressional sessions and committee hearings five days or more a week will virtually make him a free man with all the privileges appurtenant to his position. Such an aberrant situation not only elevates the accused appellant status to that of a special class, it would also be a mockery of the purpose of the correction system.”
Pimentel also said that the Supreme Court ruled that prison authorities erred in providing Jalosjos an extension office at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinglupa.
The ruling of the Makati Regional Trial Court in effect also negates a resolution overwhelmingly passed in the Senate seeking that Trillanes he allowed to attend Senate sessions.
Trillanes is facing coup charges for his participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny along with 30 junior officers.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel who authored the Senate resolution argued that the will of the 11 million Filipinos who voted for Trillanes showed be respected otherwise the elections would be meaningless.
But there are 88 million Filipinos in all against 11 million, it was also emphasized against Senator Pimentel’s argument.
