Philippines: Trillanes hopes for court’s favourable action on coup charge

• Embattled opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is hoping to get favorable action from the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148, where his coup d’état case is being revived by state prosecutors after his amnesty was voided.
• Trillanes’ lawyer Florin Hilbay said that the same pieces of evidence and arguments will be submitted to Judge Andres Soriano of Branch 148 as they wish him to observe due process and correct interpretation of the law.
• Hillbay’s statement came after Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati RTC Branch 150 issued a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Trillanes.
• Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on 25 Sep 18 yielded to the police and posted bail before the Makati City regional trial court (RTC) on charges of rebellion.
• Trillanes was picked up at the Senate by a team of policemen led by National Capital Regional Police Office chief Director Guillermo Eleazar, accompanied by a court sheriff.
• Trillanes posted bail of PHP200,000 on charges of rebellion before the Makati court. Before he was allowed to post bail, Trillanes underwent booking procedures with his mug shots taken at the Makati City Police.
• In a 22-page order, the court also granted the motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a hold departure order to prevent Trillanes from leaving the country.
• The court said there was “factual and legal basis” for Duterte’s order to detain the rebel officer-turned-politician under Proclamation No. 572.
• It also directed the DOJ and the AFP court-martial “to pursue all criminal and administrative cases” filed against Trillanes in relation to the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 and Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.
• The court considered the argument of the prosecution that Trillanes failed to present a valid copy of his amnesty application form.
• The hearing on the case against Trillanes was scheduled on 21 Nov 18.
• Meanwhile, Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano gave the DOJ five days from the receipt of Trillanes’ Supplemental Comment to file their answer, but state prosecutors filed their pleading on 26 Sep 18, days before their deadline, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed in a text message.
• Trillanes, through counsel, filed the Comment only on 24 Sep 18. The DOJ is also looking to secure a warrant from Makati RTC Branch 148, which handled the coup d’etat charge against Trillanes over the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.
• A coup d’etat charge is non-bailable. Should Soriano grant the DOJ’s motion, Trillanes would have to be detained by authorities.
• Trillanes said he would accept whatever Soriano’s decision will be after Branch 148 wrapped up its proceedings on 26 Sep 18 on the petition of the Department of Justice to issue a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against the senator.
• Trillanes said, however, he still sees a glimmer of hope as he sees Soriano as “decent and who knows what is right and wrong.”
• Trillanes also appealed to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the AFP leadership to disclose what exactly happened when Solicitor General Jose Calida asked for his amnesty documents.
• Trillanes said Lorenzana himself admitted that Calida called him up on 16 Aug 18 asking for the documents pertaining to his amnesty application, among others.
• Shortly thereafter, an officer released a certification that his application could not be found, and Duterte issued the proclamation revoking his amnesty.
• The senator said if Calida’s contention was he did not apply for amnesty, then what was the solicitor general asking for?

External Link: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/27/1855177/trillanes-hopes-courts-favorable-action-coup-charge

External Link: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/26/1854863/trillanes-arrested-posts-bail

External Link: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/26/1854881/another-makati-court-wraps-proceedings-plea-trillanes-arrest