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INQUIRER.net; 04/26/2007

Editor's Note: What follows is the first segment transcript of the Eleksyon2007 podcast interview with senatorial candidate Antonio Trillanes IV.

Segment 1

JV Rufino: Our guest for this podcast is former Navy Lieutenant Antonio Trillanes IV. Trillanes is running for senator under the Genuine Opposition slate. He joins us by phone patch from his cell where he is detained while facing coup d'etat charges in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

Lynette Luna: Welcome to the show, Mr. Trillanes. I'm Lynette Luna, Breaking News editor of INQUIRER.net.
Antonio Trillanes IV: Yes, ma'am. Good morning.

Lynette Luna: Hello Mr. Trillanes. For our first question, I guess it's something that's often been asked of you, why are you running for the Senate?

Antonio Trillanes IV: Well, primarily, I'm running because our leaders have failed us and therefore, I am presenting myself to the people as an alternative who can help change the way our country is being run. That's it.

Lynette Luna: Why did you decide to run under the opposition?

Antonio Trillanes IV: Because I'm just going to be consistent, my primary grievances are against this administration. So it's going to be unthinkable for me to join them.

Lynette Luna: But isn't it ironic, Mr. Trillanes, that if you win, you will still be serving as a senator under the term of the President for whom you staged a mutiny in 2003? So how would you reconcile that?

Antonio Trillanes IV: Well, in fact, it's still consistent because we are under a system of checks and balances. So the Senate, by design, checks the excesses and abuses of the Executive. That's it.

Lynette Luna: How will you do that, Mr. Trillanes?

Antonio Trillanes IV: The Senate, like I've said earlier, is part of the system of checks and balances. The Senate has two primary duties: one is legislation and the other equally important role of the Senate is the oversight and fiscalizing function to check the abuses or excesses in the use of power of the other branches of government, like the Judiciary and the Executive.

Lynette Luna: When you staged a mutiny in 2003, you fought against what you called the corruption in the Arroyo government. What bills do you intend to pass to fight this?

Antonio Trillanes IV: First of all, I would like to correct the premise of your question that I -- we staged a mutiny. No, we did not do anything of the sort. We just presented our grievances directly to the people.
Remember, before we did that, I went directly to the President to present the problem to her so that it will be brought to her attention directly and so that she can do something about it. But when she ordered us detained instead, it was very clear to all of us that she has no plans of solving them.
Now, as to your question regarding how do I intend to – corruption or what to – what bills do I intend to pass, I am preparing a – the – in fact, we are in the process of doing the basic research work for four bills that can help kick corruption in government.
One of which is a bill that would re-engineer government processes to reduce red tape and weed out corruption. We will file a bill that would overhaul and rationalize the auditing processes of the Commission on Audit to make sure that it is an effective anti-corruption watchdog.
Another one is a bill that would provide for a new and more comprehensive anti-graft and corrupt practices act that would promote accountability and transparency. For example, all public officials shall sign a waiver of their rights under the Bank Secrecy Law. At the same time, it would also increase the maximum possible criminal liabilities of corrupt government officials.
And lastly, a bill that would provide for the automatic and periodic wage review and increase for all government employees which will be based on the inflation rate within a three – every three-year period.
So this is a proven, effective anti-corruption policy employed by other countries. It also intends to provide us a decent standard of living for all government employees that may attract qualified people from the private sector to join government.
So, this intention of the three-year -- automatic three-year review is that -- three-year review and increase is that -- so that it can't be used anymore as a political instrument to court votes or what.
So once it becomes automatic by law, the Executive won't have anything to do with it or it can't be used to dangle as a bribe to government employees. That's all.

Lynette Luna: If elected, Mr. Trillanes, how would you like to define your term?

Antonio Trillanes IV: Well, I would like to define my term -- can you qualify that question, ma'am?

Lynette Luna: How would you like to be remembered? What kind of senator would you like to be remembered as?

Antonio Trillanes IV: Well, to tell you honestly, I wouldn't want to be remembered at all. Because every public official, whether he is a senator or a -- an ordinary government official should just perform genuine, honest and humble public service. You don't do that so that you can be remembered or you want a legacy or the life in government.

Lynette Luna: Thank you very much, Mr. Trillanes, and good luck in your campaign.