Justice dept. seeks arrest, travel ban for Trillanes in different court

September 7, 2018

The Department of Justice on Friday asked another Makati City court that had dismissed a separate coup d’état charge against opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to order his arrest.

In a four-page motion, state prosecutors asked Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati City Regional Trial Court, Branch 150, to issue a warrant of arrest and hold departure order against Trillanes, in connection with his involvement in the 2007 Manila Peninsula Hotel siege.

“The nature and urgency of the relief prayed for necessitate an ex parte application by the People for an HDO and a warrant of arrest precisely so as not to defeat the purpose of the said court processes,” according to the motion signed by officer-in-charge (OIC) Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, and Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane Sytat.

The prosecutors filed the motion following President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572, which revokes the Department of National Defense Ad Hoc Committee Resolution No. 2 issued on January 31, 2011 granting amnesty to Trillanes.

The case has not reached the trial stage since Alameda issued a September 7, 2011 order granting the appeal of Trillanes to dismiss the case due to Proclamation No. 75 issued in 2010 by then President Benigno Aquino III which gave amnesty to the senator and others over their involvement in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

The prosecutors said told Alameda President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 572 which declared as “void ab initio (void from the beginning)” Proclamation No. 75.

“It is clear that this instant case is still pending with this Honorable Court, as the prosecution has yet to present its evidence in insofar as accused Trillanes in concerned,” the motion said

On Tuesday, the justice department also filed a motion before asking Makati RTC Branch 148 to issue an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes, in connection with his role in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny. DMS