Updated (4:34 p.m.)
“Democracy lost.”
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV made this pronouncement after the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 has ordered his arrest for the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
READ: Arrest Trillanes – Makati court
“Natalo ang demokrasya ngayong araw na ito (Democracy lost today),” Trillanes said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“Gaya ng sinasabi ko last week, itong petisyon namin sa korte ay isang pagsubok sa tibay ng ating demokrasaya ng ating judicial system (Like what I said last week, our court petition is a test of our democracy and our judicial system),” he added.
The opposition senator has filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to nullify Proclamation 572 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte but was denied by the high tribunal.
READ: Trillanes fails to get relief from SC
Duterte signed Proclamation 572 on August 31, revoking the amnesty granted to Trillanes by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.
“Kahit ipanakita na namin lahat ng ebidensya kontra sa kanilang mga kadahilanan ang aking amnesty ay gayon pa rin ay inilabas pa rin itong warrant of arrest na ito (We have presented evidence to prove their allegations about my amnesty wrong, but they still issued this warrant of arrest),” he said.
Duterte claimed in the proclamation that Trillanes failed to submit an application form and that he did not admit his guilt in the crimes covered by the amnesty.
However, Trillanes has earlier presented documents proving that he made his general admission of guilt before he took his oath on his filled-out amnesty application form.
READ: Trillanes made admission of guilt, JAGO officer confirms in affidavit
“Officially ay wala na po tayong demokrasya…Wala po akong krimen na ginawa kasi nabigyan na ‘ko ng amnesty pitong taon na ang nakalipas (Officially, we don’t have democracy anymore…I did not commit any crime because I was granted an amnesty seven years ago),” the senator said.
“Ito ay maliwanang na pangginggipit ni Mr. Duterte sa mga kritiko niya sa politika, ‘yung mga nagsasabi ng totoo at hindi niya maharap (This is a clear case of Mr. Duterte harassing his critics in politics and those who are telling the truth),” he added. /ee
READ: Tracing back Trillanes’ arrest