Military to wait for outcome of DOJ appeal on Trillanes case

October 24, 2018

The military will take its cue from an appeal to be filed by the Department of Justice ( DOJ) to question the ruling of a Makati judge dismissing the DOJ's petition for an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on his role on the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

The decision by Judge Andres Soriano of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148  means the military may not regain control of Trillanes to face a general court martial  for Oakwood and the Manila Hotel Peninsula siege in 2007.

“I cannot comment on that yet, because  as we see the legal processes are not yet finished,” Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez said.

Galvez said Trillanes’ only case before a general court martial once it is reconvened is conduct unbecoming of an officer and gentleman, an administrative case.

An administrative case in the military is punishable with dismissal from  the service and Trillanes was a civilian when he filed ran and won a Senate seat in 2007.

“Our stand here is to let the civilian courts decides first on the case. As of this time, just like what Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, we will respect the decision of the courts, considering the litigation is not over yet,” Galvez said. DMS