No new arrest warrant vs Trillanes

Manila -- A Makati court has denied the government’s petition for an arrest warrant and hold departure order against opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in connection with a dismissed case of coup d’ etat, but upheld the legality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation that voided the amnesty granted to the senator.

Judge Andres Bartolome of Makati RTC Branch 148 released his resolution on the Department of Justice’s petition shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, October 22.

The resolution, contained in a sealed envelope, was served by Makati court sheriff Edmund De Javing to the DOJ first and to Trillanes next.

Trillanes, accompanied by his lawyer Reynaldo Robles and some members of the Magdalo Group, awaited the decision in his office at the Senate.

Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon confirmed the court’s denial of the DOJ petition.

The court issued the resolution more than three weeks after another court, Makati RTC Branch 150, issued an arrest warrant against the senator for revived rebellion charges.

Trillanes, however, was allowed to post P200,000 bail also on the same day, September 25, that the warrant was issued and served.

The coup d’ etat and rebellion cases against Trillanes were ordered revived under Proclamation No. 572, which President Rodrigo Duterte issued on August 31, 2018.

The proclamation voided ab initio the amnesty granted to Trillanes, ordered his arrest and directed the DOJ and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Court Martial to revive the cases against Trillanes.

Earlier, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the rebellion case has been revived and will now go to trial.