After being holed up in the Senate for more than a week, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV will try to leave the chamber “quietly” this Thursday.
“Wala talagang categorical statement ang AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) na hindi nila ako huhulihin, ako susubukan ko mamaya na lumabas. Titingnan natin,” Trillanes said in a press briefing.
“We’ll do it quietly. We’ll try to do it quietly para we’ll see how it goes,” he added.
And if he gets arrested outside the Senate, then Trillanes said it means that the AFP and Duterte administration are not sincere with their statements.
“Ibig sabihin talagang hindi sila sinsero sa kanilang statement,” he noted.
The senator nevertheless promised he would not resist if authorities would try to arrest him.
“Wala namang magre-resist sa amin. Hindi tayo manlalaban,” he said. “Papangunahan na natin, hindi tayo manlalaban kung dumating ‘yan kaya nga we’ll see.”
Trillanes has been staying in the Senate since September 4, when news of his amnesty being revoked by President Rodrigo Duterte broke out.
Mr. Duterte issued Proclamation No. 572 last August 31 not only to revoke Trillanes’ amnesty but also to order for the senator’s arrest.
READ: Duterte revokes Trillanes amnesty, orders his arrest
The President later clarified, however, that no arrest will be made unless there is a warrant of arrest from the court.
But Trillanes remained doubtful of Duterte’s assurance, insisting he has information that the order to have him arrested still stands.
Besides, the senator pointed out the assurance that he would not be arrested only pertains to the police, who needs to first secure a court order before enforcing an arrest.
“But ‘yung AFP wala namang warrant na kailangan,” he pointed out.
In the proclamation, Duterte directed both the Department of Justice and the AFP’s Court Martial “to pursue all criminal and administrative charges” against the mutineer-turned-senator.
The President also ordered the military and the police “to employ all lawful means to apprehend” Trillanes so he could be “recommitted” to the detention facility where he had been incarcerated, and stand trial for the crimes he was charged with.
It was former President S. Benigno Aquino III who granted Trillanes amnesty for his role in two failed mutinies during the time of then President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. /kga