Military won’t arrest Trillanes for now; to wait for ruling of SC

The Department of National Defense (DND) said Friday that it will wait for the Supreme Court (SC) order before making any moves on whether or not to arrest Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

“The DND has received a report that Senator Trillanes IV has already filed a petition for certiorari, prohibition and injunction with a prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order. The DND respects the judicial process and we will defer to the decision of the court on the matter,” the DND said in a statement.

A similar statement was released by AFP spokesperson Col. Edgardo Arevalo. 

On Thursday, Trillanes asked the SC to nullify President Rodrigo Duterte’s edict voiding the amnesty granted to him in 2011. 

Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572 signed August 31 stated that Trillanes’ amnesty is void ab initio because the senator failed to file an application for it and express admission of guilt for his involvement in two failed mutinies in 2003 and 2007 to protest the alleged corruption during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo. It also directs the police and military to arrest the senator.

The proclamation also cited a military certification saying that there was “no available copy” of the senator’s amnesty application from the records of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, J1.

Because Trillanes supposedly failed to comply with the requirements for amnesty, he will be reverted to active military status, brought back to military custody and shall be tried once more to a general court martial for the two uprisings.

“The AFP is on the process of constituting a general court martial in compliance with the mandated task under Presidential Proclamation 572,” Arevalo said.

He added that the military is an institution “united and committed to the chain of command and the rule of law.”  /kga