Court: No arrest warrant yet vs Trillanes; hearing set on Oct. 5

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV won’t be arrested just yet as Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148 Presiding Judge Andres Soriano has resolved to hold a hearing first on the opposition lawmaker’s coup d’état case on October 5.

“The honorable justice has chosen to hear the parties,” Trillanes’ counsel, Atty. Reynaldo Robles, said in a press briefing at the Senate on Friday.

According to Robles, the court issued the order to “allow the parties to present their evidence” first before handing out an arrest warrant against the senator.

In a three-page order, the court said it “deems prudent and proper” to set the hearing to find out whether or not Trillanes filed an application for amnesty and admitted guilt on the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

“Wherefore, premises considered, the resolution of the Very Urgent Ex-parte Omnibus Motion for Issuance of Hold Departure Order (HDO) and Alias Warrant of Arrest against Antonio F. Trillanes IV is deferred,” the order stated.

The Makati RTC, however, asserted that the hearing on October 5 will not necessarily reopen the coup d’état case against Trillanes, who is one of the fiercest critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The October 5 hearing is for the reception of evidence on the following:

• Whether or not Trillanes filed the requisite application for amnesty under Proclamation No.75;

• Whether or not Trillanes admitted guilt over the failed mutinies at the time he applied for and was granted amnesty.

Shortly before the order was released, Trillanes said he hopes that Soriano will do “what is right” on the case.

This after Makati RTC Branch150 issued earlier this week an arrest warrant against him for rebellion over the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege. Trillanes posted a bail of P200,000 for his temporary liberty.

Trillanes said he is still unsure about personally appearing in court for the October 5 hearing.

“Kung makakakagulo kasi ako doon, eh baka hindi na lang (If I will just cause trouble there, I might not go instead),” he said.

Makati RTC Branch 148 dismissed the coup d’état case in 2011 after then President Benigno S. Aquino III granted amnesty to members of Magdalo group, including Trillanes, which staged the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

But on August 31, Mr. Duterte issued Proclamation No 572, revoking the amnesty of

Trillanes. The presidential order claimed that the senator’s amnesty was void ab initio because he allegedly failed to submit an application for amnesty and admit his guilt over the uprisings against the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Department of Justice eventually filed an ex parte urgent motion, asking the courts to reopen the rebellion and coup d’état cases; and issue an arrest warrant as well as a hold departure order against the senator. /kga