Press Release
December 5, 2007

TRILLANES TRANSFER TO NEW BILIBID AN OVERKILL--KIKO

Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today denounced the proposed transfer of Senator Antonio Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 34 other soldiers and civilians charged with rebellion in connection to the Manila Pen siege to the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City .

"We recognize the duty of the PNP to prevent a repeat of last Thursday's events, but this does not give the state reason to exercise its powers excessively. In the Manila Pen siege, the media arrest is an overkill, the curfew imposition is an overkill, and now this plan to transfer the accused to NBP is also an overkill," Kiko said.

Interior Undersecretary Marius Corpus said state prosecutors will cite "security considerations" in asking the Makati Regional Trial Court for the transfer. Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said the motion for transfer will be filed today before the Makati RTC. Trillanes' lawyer, Reynaldo Robles, said the transfer is an act of harassment by the government.

"While the accused are answerable to our justice system, this does not merit the oppressive and abusive treatment the state is giving them," Kiko ended.

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