Magdalo leaders says they violated laws in Oakwood takeover four years ago for a higher cause

By Ronron
July 26, 2007

On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the failed mutiny in Makati City, Magdalo leader and Senator-elect Antonio Trillanes IV admitted Thursday that they violated some laws then in advancing a worthy cause.

But Trillanes said there are no regrets in attempting to launch mutiny at the Oakwood Hotel along Ayala Avenue on July 27, 2003 because in the end, it made them better persons.

Trillanes led close to a hundred junior officers and almost 200 enlisted personnel in seizing the posh apartment hotel four years ago today to air their grievances against alleged irregularities in the government, particularly in the defense establishment.

“We are not denying that we did not do anything wrong. Some things were violated for a higher cause,” Trillanes told Defense reporters yesterday.

“The morality issue should be left to God. Legally, it is up to the court,” he added.

Trillanes said their mistake then was they were “not supposed to be there” to cause “alarm and scandal.”

But he said they remain vindicated as to their moral fight then based on the latest incident in Basilan wherein war materials of soldiers in the field appear to be substandard.

“What happened in Basilan, I believe, highlights the relevance of Oakwood. It showed that our grievances are true,” Trillanes said.

The mutineers had complained that the corruption of higher authorities in Manila is affecting the foot soldiers who are in the frontlines against “enemies of the State.”

“Definitely, nothing has changed. It even grew worse. We still have corrupt officials in government,” Trillanes said when asked if their efforts at Oakwood changed the situation in the Philippines for the better after that.

If any, he said their being incarcerated has done them good.

“It brought us back to earth. It gave us the opportunity to be close to God and our families, to be more spiritual. We will come out as better persons,” said Trillanes, who remains in detention since the incident.

Trillanes was elected the 11th senator during the May 14 polls after getting more than 11 million votes./DMS