Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wants him behind bars, but Senator Antonio Trillanes is resisting arrest by taking refuge in his Senate office. In a DW interview, the senator accuses Duterte of being a dictator.
Trillanes, who backs an International Criminal Court probe into Duterte's crackdown on drug suspects, was a candidate for vice president in the 2016 elections.
In 2010, Trillanes was pardoned by then president Benigno Aquino III for his botched coup d'etat attempts to overthrow a previous government. But on September 4, Duterte revoked Trillanes' amnesty and ordered that he be arrested and tried in a military court.
Since then, Trillanes has taken refuge in his Senate office to avoid arrest. Dozens of Trillanes' supporters are guarding his office in Manila.
In an interview with DW, Trillanes talks about his arrest orders and the public support for him.
DW: President Duterte could have arrested you a long time ago. Why did he issue the arrest orders now?
Antonio Trillanes: Duterte wanted me killed as soon as he came to power. He ordered the Davao Death Squad to assassinate me, according to our witness, Arturo Lascanas, who is a former police officer.
The president decided to revoke my amnesty when I initiated an investigation against Solicitor General Jose Calida and the government contracts that involved him and his family-owned security firm. Calida wanted to block my investigation and wanted to get back at me for going after him.
Duterte's action shows that he has no respect for the democratic process. People are fed up with him.
Philippines' war on drugs — Remembering the dead
After he came to power, President Duterte unleashed a bloody campaign to fulfil his pledge of wiping out the drug trade in the country. DW spoke to some families who lost their loved ones in this controversial drug war.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Daunting challenge
Mimi Garcia holds the pictures of her son Richard and daughter-in-law Robilyn who were killed by masked vigilantes on motorbikes at their shanty home in Camarin, Caloocan city, on October 7, 2016. She faces the daunting responsibility of taking care of her two grandchildren while being jobless at the same time.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Brutal incidents
Andres Fernandez and his son Wesley rest at an altar inside the family home in Bagong Silang, Caloocan. On October 4, 2016, two armed men in masks went inside the Fernandez home and pointed a gun at Wesley. They made him kneel as Andres tried to help. They responded by shooting at Andres first before killing Wesley.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Suspicious killings
One of the children of alleged pusher Kenneth Trasmano lights a candle during the wake of his father in Manila. Kenneth was killed in a police undercover operation after allegedly fighting back on February 2, 2018. His family and neighbors claim the police forced them to leave their homes and get out of sight, and thereafter heard the gunshots.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Left alone
A child holds the pictures of her deceased father Joseph and grandfather Marcelo. Marcelo was killed in a police operation inside their home on July 22, 2016. Her father was rounded up and taken by the police. His lifeless body was later found "salvaged" along a roadside.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Last message
The picture shows letters written by children who have lost either one of their parents in the drug war, as part of their counselling session at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Camarin, Caloocan city.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Funeral march
Family and friends walk the funeral procession of Rogelio Gilbuena and his common law wife Jenny Royo, who were both found dead (several hours apart) in different locations in Navotas city, Manila. Prior to their death, the couple were taken from their house in Navotas by 10 men who introduced themselves as police.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Remembering the dead
Families of victims of drug-related extrajudicial killings offer flowers to their departed loved ones during the Holy Eucharistic Mass Action in Bagong Silang, Caloocan.
Image: Raffy Lerma
Calling for justice
Her husband Luis and her son, Gabriel, were killed in September 2016. During their burial, she was stoic. The days after she had laid them to rest were different. "I began looking for them and could not stop crying." MA nowadays attends protest rallies calling for a stop to drug-related killings and justice for those who have died. She hides her face as she doesn't want to be identified.
Image: Raffy Lerma
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Will the Supreme Court rule against Duterte's revocation order?
My lawyers and some senators advised me to seek the Supreme Court's help and stay here in the senate because they won't be able to guarantee my safety beyond the senate premises. At the same time, if I turn myself in, then it would be synonymous to endorsing the president's proclamation.
Some people say you would be safer in detention.
Nobody is safer under Duterte's rule. You are not even safe inside your home. We have seen how the homes of suspected drug dealers and drug users are being raided by police. If a senator is not safe, nobody is safe in the country.
Duterte's critics accuse him of targeting his opponents. What does the president want to achieve?
Duterte wants absolute power; that is the only way he knows how to govern. In Davao City [where Duterte was mayor], he ruled like a dictator. He doesn't respect the legislature or the media and is averse to any criticism from the opposition.
Duterte knows that there are state institutions that can challenge his autocratic measures. He also fears accountability, as he knows that he has committed many crimes during his tenure as Davao mayor and now as president. He cannot afford not to be in power.
Some analysts say that you have emerged as a figurehead who can unite the opposition against the president. Do you agree with their assessment?
Vice President Leni Robredo remains the opposition leader. She may not be as visible or as vocal as I am, but she is quietly working for the unification of the all opposition forces. In the next few weeks, I expect her to take on a stronger stance.
Are you surprised by the public support that you're getting?
I'm really humbled and surprised by the support. In the past when we tried to expose the administration's wrongdoings, Duterte's allies in the senate blocked us. The media was also intimidated, so was there no avenue to expose the president. But Duterte's reckless statements and measures have turned people against him.
Does Duterte enjoy the Philippine military's backing?
Duterte wants to involve the armed forces in politics. We know that the military is not happy about this. It is clear to the military that Duterte's action against me is political. I think they hoped that the president would not use them this way.
I believe the military is united and is loyal to the constitution. Historically, the Philippine military has always sided with the people.
For how long can you avoid arrest?
I really don't know. A lot depends on the Supreme Court hearing of my application for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). If I get the TRO, it will be a temporary reprieve for me and a slap in Duterte's face. If the top court does not issue a TRO, then we will wait for the decision of the other courts on the arrest warrant.
The interview was conducted by Ana P. Santos in Manila.
Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte completes one year in power
One year ago, Rodrigo Duterte became the Philippine president, vowing to crackdown on organized crime, drug cartels and improve the country's economy. But his presidency has been shrouded in numerous controversies.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/F.-R. Malasig
An outsider
Rodrigo Duterte's rise in Philippine politics began in the spring of 2016. He was considered an outsider in the presidential election but he gradually gained popularity due to a radical election campaign that promised to free the Philippines from drugs and corruption.
Image: Reuters/E. Acayan
Landslide victory
On May 9, 2016, Duterte was elected to the presidency with almost 40 percent of the total votes and a big lead over other candidates. As mayor of Davao, he had transformed the southern city from a mafia-run place into an economically prosperous area. However, human rights activists accuse him of using death squads and brutal force to achieve this goal.
Image: Reuters/E. De Castro/Detail
A short-tempered president
Duterte is known for his sort temper. After coming to power, he threatened to break ties with the EU, the US and Australia. He also publicly insulted foreign leaders like Barack Obama because the former US president labeled Duterte's drug war as inhuman. Duterte also announced that his government would scale down dependence on the US and get closer to China and Russia.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/N. Shrestha/M. Irham
A victory over China
In July 2016, the Philippines won a lawsuit against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that rejected Beijing's territorial claims on the South China Sea. China refused to accept the court's ruling. Manila nevertheless celebrated it as a victory but remained cautious in its approach toward China due to its economic interests with Beijing.
Image: Permanent Court of Arbitration
Drug killings
Leila de Lima, a senator and former director of the Philippine Human Rights Commission, has emerged as Duterte's most powerful opponent during his one year in power. She is leading a senate probe into extra-judicial killings in Duterte's war on drugs.
Image: Reuters/E. De Castro
Honoring a 'dictator'
One of Duterte's most controversial decisions during his one year in power was to allow the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos' body to be buried in Manila. Marcos had been denied this honor due to massive human rights violations during his reign. Human rights activists and church representatives held demonstrations against Marcos' "hero's burial."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D.M. Sabangan
Fighting 'Islamic State'
In May, militant groups affiliated with the self-styled "Islamic State" (IS) group took control of the southern city of Marawi. Duterte declared Martial Law in Mindanao province and his forces have been trying to recapture the city for weeks. More than 200 people have been killed in the fighting and thousands have fled the town.
