Trillanes belies rumor of coup d’etat against Drilon

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Photo courtesy of Trillanes’ Facebook page.

MANILA – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday belied rumors about a move to oust Senate President Franklin Drilon, who has been linked in the construction of the alleged overpriced Iloilo Convention Center (ICC).

”Definitely none,” Trillanes replied when asked about the coup d’etat against Drilon.

”If I will be convinced by the evidence and testimonies that Senator Drilon committed mistakes, the trust is still there,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes, however, said the Senate has mechanisms against its erring members.

”If we found out that there is really basis, we can file an ethics case. That’s the proper forum where he should face and answer,” Trillanes said.

”But if we found that there is just something we need to clarify, we can invite him. So, it’s the call of the chairman (of the Senate blue ribbon committee) and the Senate president,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes said he would attend the Senate inquiry into the ICC despite his hectic schedules on the blue ribbon subcommittee investigating the overpriced Makati City Hall car park building and his upcoming debate with Vice President Jejomar Binay.

”If the schedule will not conflict, I will attend and I will ask questions. We will find if the witnesses will tell truth,” Trillanes said.

Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III has accepted the challenge to investigate the ICC in response to a Senate resolution filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Guingona assured the public that the BRC will be fair in conducting the inquiry into the construction of the ICC, which was reportedly overpriced by Php531 million.

In preparation for the public hearing, Guingona has sent formal letters to Public Works Sec. Rogelio Singson, Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez and former Iloilo Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada, asking them to furnish the BRC documents relevant to the allegations.

Mejorada linked Drilon to the controversy but the Senate President has clarified that his only participation was when he allotted Php100 million of his priority development assistance fund (PDAF) and another Php100 million Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to the construction of the ICC.

Guingona said Drilon can attend and face his accuser in the Senate probe even if the Senate president will not be invited by the BRC.