Palace takes fight vs Trillanes to CA in bid to ‘win’ case reversal

FAVORITE TARGET Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at a press briefing in September where he announced he would stay in the Senate to counter threats he would be arrested on orders
of President Duterte.—RICHARD A. REYES

Malacañang on Monday expressed optimism that the government can still win the case and have opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV jailed over his long-dismissed coup d’etat charges.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the remark after the Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to convince Judge Andres Soriano of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 to reconsider his decision and issue an arrest warrant for Trillanes.

Panelo, who is also President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said the government will bring Soriano’s decision to the Court of Appeals (CA) with the Office of the Solicitor General in charge of the appeal.

“We’re very confident (that) we are going to win this case. Courts will always rule on the basis of evidence. We feel that our evidence is very strong,” Panelo told reporters in an interview.

On Friday, the Makati City RTC Branch 148 has affirmed its decision not to issue an arrest warrant against Trillanes after it denied the partial motions for reconsideration filed separately by the government and the senator’s camp.

The government sought a reconsideration and insisted that the coup d’etat case should be revived and an arrest warrant be issued for Trillanes.

Trillanes, meanwhile, filed a partial motion for reconsideration to reconsider the court’s decision that affirmed the legality of Proclamation 572 that revoked the amnesty given to the Senator.

READ: Makati court firm on ruling not to issue arrest warrant for Trillanes