Enrile: ‘Trillanes is just covering his ass’

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile accused Sen Antonio Trillanes IV of making an issue out of the division of Camarines Sur just “to cover his ass.”

In an interview on Thursday, September 20, Enrile denied Trillanes’ accusation that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called the Senate President to railroad the bill dividing Camarines Sur into two provinces.

“There was [no call] and in fact this is my first time to learn that the former President is interested with CamSur,” Enrile said.

“This is strange information to us which makes me believe Trillanes is lying and that he is using this in order to cover his ass.”

Saying he had contacts with the Chinese government, Trillanes had volunteered to do backchannel with China at the height of Manila’s dispute with Beijing over the Scarborough Shoal. In an executive session in Malacañang last May to which he was invited, the senator berated Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario for being “hawkish” in his handling of the dispute, according to officials privy to what happened in the confidential and top-level government meeting.

Enrile himself confirmed this information, adding he had cautioned Trillanes about the sensitivity of backchannel dealings with China.

The President however allowed Trillanes to pursue such efforts. But in the end, Trillanes pushed for a bilateral approach to the problem, which reflects China’s stand on the matter and is the opposite of the Philippine government’s multilateral framework, according to the same officials.

On Wednesday, September 19, on the day the Inquirer quoted Del Rosario as saying backdoor deals with China did more harm than good, Trillanes delivered a privilege speech hitting Enrile on a completely different topic: Camarines Sur.

Trillanes has said that the issue is gerrymandering over Camarines Sur. Arroyo’s son, Camarines Sur Rep Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, is a co-author of the bill dividing the province.

Enrile and Trillanes engaged in an explosive debate on Wednesday over China and Camarines Sur. Trillanes bolted the majority coalition after criticizing Enrile.

The Senate President responded by reading notes of Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady about her meeting with Trillanes in Beijing on August. 17. As he read the notes, Enrile accused Trillanes of working for China in the territorial row over the Scarborough Shoal.

Enrile denied on Thursday Trillanes’ statement that he revealed state secrets by reading Brady’s notes. 

“Anong state secret iyon? (What was the state secret there?) It’s not even classified. He does not know what he is talking about. This guy is teaching me about national security? My God. I’ve been 17 years in charge of national security and foreign relations of this country. I dealt with presidents of other countries, not a man like him,” Enrile said.

Trillanes was not present in the Thursday Senate session. 

‘I’m not a hypocrite’

A day after the word war, Enrile told reporters that he has no plans whatsoever of mending his relationship with the younger senator.

“I have no time for a man like him. I’m not a hypocrite. You take me on. I take you on. If you win, I submit to you,” Enrile said.

Trillanes shared the sentiment, telling reporters on Wednesday that he believed his bridge to Enrile has already been burned.

The Senate President though said he does not intend to sanction Trillanes even if he went on trips to China as a backdoor negotiator even without securing travel authority from his office.

“Hindi, bahala na. ‘Di namin pag-aaksayahan [ng oras] ‘yun. He’s not that important to me,” Enrile said. (We will not waste time on him.)

Enrile explained that even if senators go on private overseas trips, they are required to seek permission from the Senate President. He said the rule that has been in place since the time of former President and former Senate President Manuel Quezon.

‘Trillanes asked for committee, posts’

Enrile also clarified the issue regarding the budget of Trillanes’ oversight committee. The issue was raised during their exchange on Wednesday but they did not elaborate on the point. 

Trillanes later told reporters that his Oversight Committee on Government Procurement got one of the lowest budgets among the Senate panels.

Enrile refuted this. “What he was asking for is an additional committee but we could not give him because committees need personnel. What we did, since he was pestering us, we organized an oversight committee for him. We funded it with P10 million.”

“And then he (Trillanes) wanted to become a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal and since we were part of a bloc, 4 senators have 1 representation in the tribunal, we sent him to give him the privilege and since he was the last to join the Senate, we wanted to help him.”

Enrile added, “Now that he joined another group, shouldn’t he resign from the Tribunal?”

The Senate President hinted that Trillanes had no debt of gratitude.

“Nung araw nagpupunta sa akin iyan at nagmamakaawa na tutulungan ko siya. Humingi pa ng lechon,” Enrile laughed. “Nung nasa Camp Crame. Pinadalhan ko. Hindi ko na lang [sasabihin], hayaan mo na.” (He used to come to me and plead for help. He even asked for roast pig when he was in Camp Crame. I sent him one. I won’t discuss it anymore, let’s just drop it.)

Asked where their conflict is headed, Enrile implied that he will campaign against Trillanes in the latter’s 2013 reelection bid.

“I’m going to bring this to the people and tell the people about this man, who he is, what kind of a senator he is, what kind of a military officer he is, the hazard he is creating for the country. Palagay ko kumpyansado siya eh.” (I think he is confident.)

Trillanes’ partymate, Senator Pia Cayetano, defended Trillanes’ from Enrile’s tongue-lashing: 

Trillanes has said he is ready for the consequences of his action, stressing that he did it out of principle. – Rappler.com