Solon to DOJ: Don’t waste gov’t time and resources, let go of Trillanes’ case

The Department of Justice (DOJ) should “let go” of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s case to prevent “wasting time and government resources,” Caloocan 2nd Rep. Edgar Erice said Tuesday.

“I think the DOJ should consider letting go of this case as it is very clear from the decision of the RTC (Regional Trial Court) that they don’t have a case against Senator Trillanes. Pursuing this is a waste of time and precious government resources,” Erice said in a statement.

The opposition lawmaker also said bringing the issue to the Supreme Court would “burden” the high court to “another polarizing political issue.”

Senatorial candidate Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada, meanwhile, commended Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano for “bravely defending the law” as the latter junked the DOJ’s petition to arrest Trillanes over his coup d’état case.

READ: Makati RTC judge denies gov’t petition for arrest of Trillanes – DOJ | 

Trillanes, a free man for now: Makati court denies gov’t bid for his arrest

“It could not have been easy to render this decision. We should have more of this: more fortitude, greater strength, and true grit. These are what we need in times of rampant political reprisals,” Tañada said in a separate statement.

The DOJ had sought the arrest of Trillanes, a fierce Duterte critic, in connection with a bid to revive the case for coup d’état against the former Navy lieutenant, which President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered through Proclamation No. 572.

Tañada said there is such a thing as “forever” in law, and that is in final judgments.

“If we could keep reviving issues that have already been settled, we will have no end to cases, and judges’ decisions would mean nothing,” he pointed out.

In his 33-page ruling, Soriano turned down the DOJ’s motion for an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes.

The lower court, however, affirmed the validity of Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572, which revoked Trillanes’ amnesty. This even if the judge also upheld that the senator filed his amnesty application and admitted guilt over two failed uprisings, which are the basis of the presidential order for voiding Trillanes’ amnesty. /kga

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