Trillanes to seek TRO vs proclamation, arrest
As soldiers and policemen gathered outside the Senate awaiting orders to arrest Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, the former Navy officer said his lawyers are set to ask the Supreme Court (SC) today to stop the enforcement of a presidential order for his arrest with the voiding of an amnesty granted to him in 2010.
While seeking an SC temporary restraining order on Presidential Proclamation No. 572, Trillanes maintained he would yield only to a legal arrest warrant even as he stressed the military cannot take him into custody and subject him
to a court martial as he has been a civilian since 2007.
The senator, an arch critic of President Duterte, however expressed belief no such legal arrest warrant is forthcoming as there are no charges that can be filed against him in connection with his mutinous acts in 2003 and 2007.
“The order to arrest me is not valid. I would’ve walked in (into detention) but if I’m going to turn myself in voluntarily, we won’t be able to question the validity of the warrantless arrest,” Trillanes told reporters. “And we’re asking why are they arresting me in the first place?”
Trillanes stayed in his office after the Senate leadership reached a consensus barring any arrest of any lawmaker in the chamber’s premises.
His lawyers advised him to remain in the Senate to avoid any possible untoward incident as the police continued to be camped outside the chamber despite the absence of a court ruling for his arrest.
He was visited by his wife, Arlene, as well as members of cause-oriented groups Tindig Pilipinas and Every Woman and some former Cabinet members.
His staff said a prayer vigil would be held at the Senate for Trillanes.
He showed to reporters documents attesting to the dismissal of coup-related charges against him, including the ruling of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branches 148 and 150 in September 2011.
He also stressed he would not have been granted amnesty by then president Benigno Aquino III if he had not complied with all the legal requirements, including a formal admission of guilt.