DUMAGUETE CITY – Solicitor General Jose C. Calida on Thursday described Sen. Antonio Trillanes as a “coward” and challenged him to resign from his post.
Speaking during a forum sponsored by the city government of Dumaguete, Calida said, “kinsay talawan karon nga nagtago man siya sa Senado. Nabubuwesit na ang mga tawo sa Senado (so who is now the coward instead, that he is hiding from the Senate, and the people there are upset).”
“Kon isog siya mogawas siya (if he is bold enough, he should come out in the open) and I’m challenging him nga mogawas ka (for him to come out),” he said.
He added that if Trillanes thinks he is the only brave person in the world, then he should get out of the Senate and allow himself to be arrested.
Calida explained why Proclamation 572 was issued by the President, stressing that at least two minimum requirements were not complied with by Trillanes.
He said he is ready to defend the proclamation of the President in any venue, even at the Supreme Court.
Refusing to call him a senator, Calida said Trillanes is a “putschist and a trouble-maker”.
He said the granting of the amnesty for Trillanes was irregular, the reason the investigation was conducted.
It turned out from the custodian of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that there is no record of Trillanes’ application for amnesty, which is a violation of the rules for the amnesty.
Secondly, as quoted in the press, Trillanes never regretted having participated in failed coup d’ etats, has not apologized, and claimed he did not commit such offenses, and that again is a violation, Calida added.
“If you are given an amnesty, you have to admit your guilt; the arrogant putschist did not. But nonetheless, he was given this amnesty,” he said. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
