(Eagle News) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday, Sept. 25, said Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 essentially recognized that the rebellion case against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was “still very much alive.”
Guevarra issued the brief statement after Judge Elmo Alameda ordered the arrest of Trillanes, essentially granting the DOJ’s very urgent motion that also sought for a hold departure order against the senator.
The motion–which was also filed before the Makati RTC Branch 148 where Trillanes was charged with coup d’etat—was filed after Proclamation No. 572 declared as void ab initio the amnesty granted to Trillanes for the Oakwood mutiny and Peninsula Manila siege in 2003 and 2007, respectively.
The declaration had cited as bases Trillanes’ alleged failure to submit an official application for the amnesty in the first place, and his alleged failure to make an express admission of guilt for the crimes committed.
In the motion, the DOJ essentially debunked Trillanes’ argument he no longer faces the cases in the local courts following their dismissal in 2011, saying the dismissal was “anchored” on the amnesty granted to him in the first place. Moira Encina