Palace to Trillanes: Stop the drama, allow legal process to take its course

By Vic Somintac
Eagle News Service

“Let us stop the drama by presscon and allow the legal process to take its course.”

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had this to say after the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 ordered Senator Antonio Trillanes IV arrested and for a hold departure order to be issued against him.

According to Roque, the court after all “has spoken.”

“As the President has said, we will respect the decision of the judiciary. Whatever Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has to say can be addressed to the court,” Roque said.

In a 22-page order on Tuesday, Sept. 25, Branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda granted the Department of Justice’s motion for the issuance of an arrest warrant and HDO against Trillanes.

The motion was filed after Proclamation 572 declared the amnesty granted to Trillanes by the government of former President Benigno Aquino III for the Oakwood mutiny and Peninsula Manila siege in 2003 and 2007, respectively, void ab initio.

A similar motion is pending before the Makati RTC Branch 148, where Trillanes had been charged with coup d’etat.

The DOJ had argued the 2011 dismissal of those cases filed against Trillanes no longer held as it was “anchored” on the amnesty.

Trillanes contended the dismissal of those cases holds.