Office of Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV
PRESS RELEASE
18 February 2009

respectively.

“Our police officers are entitled to the rights enjoyed by every other citizen and this includes the

The new provisions are aimed at improving the effectiveness, efficiency, morale and welfare of the PNP personnel, said Trillanes.

END

Office of Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV

06 February 2009

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV wants the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to have full authority and responsibility on matters concerning maritime safety.

Trillanes has filed a bill amending RA 9295 to restore the PCG’s authority and responsibility to perform ship safety inspection services and carry out other ship safety enforcement functions.

The Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004 (RA 9295) provided for the complete transfer of these functions to the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). On the other hand

under RA 5713, the PCG was created and mandated to inspect and approve vessels for operation, enforce provisions for the safety of life and property on vessels.

“The bill puts maritime safety administration solely at the hands of one agency, the PCG. This would put a stop to the blame game among government agencies”, said Trillanes.

Also known as the Maritime Safety Act of 2009, the bill will authorize the PCG to investigate marine accidents and casualties including marine pollution incidents, and determine appropriate administrative penalties.

According to government records, the Philippines averages more than 200 maritime accidents every year. In 2007, a Japan International Cooperation Agency study attributed the accidents to overloaded and poor maintenance of ships or ferries, the lack of warning on bad weather, and ship crew incompetence..

Currently the MARINA works with the PCG to ensure compliance with ship safety standards. In 2005, the two agencies entered into a Memorandum of Agreement authorizing the PCG to perform ship safety inspection services on behalf of the MARINA.

END

Said article was posted at Philstar.com

20 January 2009

MR. ISAAC G. BELMONTE
Editor-In-Chief
The Philippine Star
Port Area, Manila

Dear Mr. Belmonte:

I am again compelled to write to you in reaction to another news feature written by Ms. Christina Mendez entitled: “Trillanes spends P .5 M on Travel” which appeared on your venerable newspaper last Saturday, 17 January 2009, as well as on the online version of your newspaper “Philstar.com”.

Again, we lament the fact that Ms. Mendez exerted no effort whatsoever to get the side of our Office on this issue before publishing her article. While she did publish our reaction to her earlier article (“Scrooge of Congress? Joker retains title”) in the news feature, we do not understand why she did not seek our reaction on this new issue when she was already talking to our Office’s media relations officer, Ms. June Joyce Gonzalez, the day before the article was published.

And so, in the interest of fairness and balanced reporting, we are again constrained to request you to publish our reaction to the said article.

First of all, Senator Trillanes did not personally avail of his travel allowance for the very obvious reason that he is still detained. To do so would require official travel orders from the Senate as well as other clearing documents which can easily be checked by your reporter.

Second, precisely due to the Senator’s detention, transportation expenses are incurred by his staff to facilitate constant communication through regular meetings and consultations, as well as the delivery of important documents, at the Camp Crame Custodial Center . This is done to ensure that the Senator is directly involved and informed of the daily affairs of his Office, which he personally reviews and resolves. While he recognizes the collaborative contributions of his staff, Sen. Trillanes maintains a hands-on approach as a legislator despite his circumstances.

Third, we would like to state for the record that the P500 thousand travel allowances referred to in the COA audit report were actually used and expended for public purposes, in connection with the public consultation and outreach program of our Office.

Early on, Sen. Trillanes realized that it would take a very long time, perhaps years, before the benefit his work as a legislator could trickle down to the poorest of the poor in our country. This is why he created a program where members of his staff would visit depressed urban and rural communities not only to consult their leaders but also to give direct aid and assistance by way of simple food packets consisting of rice, canned goods and other basic necessities as well as the distribution of wheelchairs to disable indigent individuals in the community. Some of our provincial visits also included a medical mission component where we brought doctors to treat indigent patients and distributed free medicines to indigent families.

So far, our public consultation and outreach program has visited the depressed communities in Caloocan City , Tondo (Vitas and Parola areas), as well as Payatas in Quezon City and Malabon. We also have beneficiaries from indigent communities in the provinces like San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan, Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, and the municipality of Sison in Pangasinan. Recently, we sent missions to urban poor areas in General Santos City and Zamboanga. Of necessity, our Office incurs travel expenses because of this. The fact of the matter is that Sen. Trillanes donates part of his allowances to fund these missions, with the help of other well-meaning and charitable friends and benefactors.

Our Office has kept this program on low profile because we did not want it to be painted with any political color or motivation. However, I am constrained to disclose it at this time in fairness to Sen. Trillanes and to correct the misimpression that the article of Ms. Mendez may have created in the mind of the public. Enclosed are some pictures for your reference.

I trust that our humble request will merit your favorable consideration.

Very truly yours,

( Signed)
ATTY. REYNALDO B. ROBLES
Chief of Staff

————————————————————————

17 January 2009

MR. ISAAC G. BELMONTE
Editor-In-Chief
The Philippine Star
Port Area, Manila

Dear Mr. Belmonte:

I write with reference to the news feature entitled: “Scrooge of Congress? Joker retains title” which appeared on Pages 1 and 5 of your venerable newspaper today, 14 January 2009, as well as in the online version of your newspaper “Philstar.com”.

In the said news feature, the author, Ms. Christina Mendez, referred to Sen. Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV as having “spent the most among new comers” purportedly because he spent P8,167,433.90 from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2007.

In fact, the article went on to state that: “Analysis on that data showed that if you double that amount to simulate a 12-month service, the former Oakwood mutineer would be spending P16,334,867.90, thereby making him the biggest spending legislator ever in the Senate.”.

Finally, said article likewise claimed that: “Trillanes is barred from attending session and cannot perform his duties as senator because he is in a military stockade.”

While we recognize that Ms. Mendez and your good newspaper have every right to print and publish the said news feature, we respectfully beg to disagree with the claims and conclusions asserted by Ms. Mendez in the said article.

We lament that fact that no effort was exerted by Ms. Mendez to get the side of Sen. Trillanes before the article was published. In the interest of fairness and balance reporting, we respectfully request you to publish this letter with the equal prominence and space you dedicated to the said article so the side of Sen. Trillanes can also be heard.

First of all, while it is true that Sen. Trillanes has not been able to attend Senate sessions on account of his detention at the PNP Custodial Center (not a military stockade), he has in fact been performing his functions and duties as a senator despite his restrictive conditions of his detention.

The records of the Bills and Index Section of the Senate shows that Sen. Trillanes has, thus far, authored 219 bills and resolutions making him one of the most productive member of the Senate. In fact, Senate records reveal that Sen. Trillanes authored the second most number of bills and resolutions at the Senate for the year 2008, with one hundred fifty-five (155) bills and resolutions to his credit.

Also, despite his detention, Sen. Trillanes chairs the Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization of the Senate and has been able to perform his duties as such with the help of his concerned colleagues like Senators Loren Legarda and Ping Lacson, who have graciously served as acting Chairmen and presided over the hearings of the said committee at various times.

Hence, the assertion in the article that Sen. Trillanes cannot perform his duties as a senator is totally unfounded.

Second, we believe that it is grossly misleading to compare the supposed expenses of old and new senators in 2007 on account of the different nature of the items on which said expenses were incurred.

Like any other new senators in 2007, Sen. Trillanes spent a substantial portion of the funds allocated for his office in 2007 for office renovation as well as on the acquisition of computers, software, office furniture and fixtures and equipment which his staff will be using during the next six (6) years. Please note that these are in the nature of capital expenditure (CAPEX) which are normally amortized over a period of time.

The expenses of old senators in 2007, on the other hand, mostly consisted only of maintenance, office and operating expenses (MOOE) and travel expenses. Hence, this is just like comparing apples to oranges.

Finally, we submit that even using the figures supplied by Ms. Mendez, proper analysis would show that Sen. Trillanes has in fact prudently made used of the resources entrusted to his office if we take into account the manner in which he used the funds as well as his performance as a legislator. His performance compares favorably even to the likes of Sen. Arroyo, who was cited in the article as the “undisputed ‘Scrooge of Congress’ for being the thriftiest, most frugal, tight-fisted, penny-pinching lawmaker”.

For example, in 2007, Sen. Trillanes authored and filed 39 bills and 8 resolutions as compared to 0 bills and only 4 resolutions filed by Sen. Arroyo in the same year. On a per capita basis, therefore, the Filipino people only spent P 173,775.19 for each of the bills and resolutions filed by Sen. Trillanes while spending P 3,110,521.02 for each of the resolutions filed by Sen. Arroyo!

Likewise, Sen. Arroyo only hired three (3) staff members in 2007 while Sen. Trillanes hired a full complement of thirty-eight (38) staff members not only to help him the performance of his duties but also in order to provide employment opportunities to more young people. On a per capita basis, therefore, Sen.. Arroyo spent P 4,147,361.35 per staff member in 2007 while Sen. Trillanes spent only P 214,932.47 per staff member during the same year (2007).

We will leave it up to the people to decide who is more prudent and efficient in utilizing the funds entrusted by the people.

Thank you and we trust that you will favorably consider this humble request.

Sincerely yours,

( Signed)
ATTY. REYNALDO B. ROBLES
Chief of Staff
Office of Sen. Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV