Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina yesterday said the election of mutiny leader Antonio Trillanes as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines has no effect to the morale of the government troops.

Carolina, a retired Army lieutenant general, said soldiers are not affected by political things, in an interview at the National Disaster Consciousness Month rites at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.

"Let's view the Trillanes phenomenon from the positive side. The court would eventually know what to do with Capt. Trillanes, and let's just hope the intention of the people that he was put there to be able to help, and to do something good for the country, will happen", he said. Carolina, who used to command the 78th Infantry Battalion at the height of the insurgency problem in northern Negros, said the morale of troops is only affected by their pay and allowances, housing and equipment, which we have already attended to under the Philippine Defense Reform Program.

"The 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army under the command of Maj. Gen. Jovenal D. Narcise earlier said in a statement "We … are hopeful that the AFP bills unrealized in the 13th Congress will be studied for his and other senators' consideration."

Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office, said: "This is only an indication that the soldiers would be respecting the mandate given to Senator Trillanes, the mandate given to him to become a senator."

"And on the other side, it is the call of the soldiers that hopefully the bills beneficial to the Armed Forces that have been sidelined would be pursued by Senator Trillanes… this greeting is in the spirit that Senator Trillanes would be a champion of the cause of the AFP," Bacarro added.

Trillanes, a Navy lieutenant when he led the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, is facing charges before a military and a civilian court.

AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon has said Trillanes' election will not affect the charges against him.

Discussions are on-going on how Trillanes can perform his job as senator, particularly on whether he can leave detention to attend Senate sessions.

Trillanes is detained at the Marines headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Carolina said "For as long our men know that their leaders are doing everything for them to be able to do their job of protecting the people and of the country, they are happy".*GPB

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