Failed Coup Leader Elected To Philippine Senate

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 14 Jun) – Detained failed coup leader Antonio Trillanes was finally on Thursday elected to the Philippine Senate after he was proclaimed winner in Manila.

Trillanes was declared winner a week after Elections chief Benjamin Abalos proclaimed Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Villar Jr., Benigno Aquino III, Francis Pangilinan, Edgardo Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan and Joker Arroyo.

Abalos did not include Trillanes in the previous proclamation, saying, the counting of votes are not over yet. Trillanes ran for senator in May 14 elections with politicians opposed to President Gloria Arroyo's rule.

Trillanes is one of many military officers accused of trying to oust Arroyo during the so-called Oakwood mutiny on July 27, 2003.

Last month, the Philippine military barred two foreign journalists -- Sebastian Facris, of the French International Radio and Douglas Bakshian, of the Voice of America -- from a press conference of Trillanes at a marine prison facility in Manila.

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, to which the two journalists belong, organized the press conference. The military said foreign journalists are barred from entering Philippine military camps unless with security clearance from the intelligence service.

Military officials had prevented Trillanes from campaigning, but a civilian court allowed journalist to interview him days before the elections. Soldiers were also told by their commanders not to vote for Trillanes, but the sympathy for the detained officer only grew strong.

Trillanes led more than 300 armed soldiers, mostly from the elite navy seal and army rangers, and took over the Oakwood hotel in Makati City, the country’s financial district, to show the Filipinos the alleged corruption of the Arroyo administration.

They later surrendered after a peaceful negotiation that promised swift reforms in the government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. But after surrendering, all those involved in the failed coup have been detained instead and are now facing criminal charges. (Juan Magtanggol and Juley Reyes)