Palace says Trillanes may be arrested after SC junked his petition for injunction vs Proclamation 572
Malacanang is not discounting the possibility of possible arrest of opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV following the decision of the Supreme Court junking the lawmaker's petition for a temporary restraining order on the implementation of Proclamation No. 572, voiding ab initio his amnesty.
"There is no legal impediment now to implement Proclamation No. 572. He had his day in court and he failed," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters Tuesday.
Asked if it means that Trillanes could now be arrested, he said, "there's no more hindrance to arrest Senator Trillanes, but it doesn't mean it will happen."
In denying Trillanes' petition for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction or TRO, the high court said there was no extreme and urgent necessity for the court to issue an injunctive relief considering that President Rodrigo Duterte has acknowledged Trillanes' right to due process.
The Supreme Court said the question of whether the senator has complied with the minimum requirements for an amnesty was factual in nature.
It added that it would be up to the Makati Regional Trial Courts to resolve the motions filed by the Department of Justice for the issuance of warrant of arrest against Trillanes.
The DOJ has filed separate motions for the issuance of warrant of arrest against the lawmaker before Makati RTC Branch 148, which is handling the coup d'etat case for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, and Makati RTC Branch 150 handling the rebellion case for the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
Under Proclamation 572, Duterte voided Trillanes' amnesty granted by former President Benigno Aquino III for allegedly not complying with the minimum requirements, such as the senator's failure to apply and to admit his crimes.
Trillanes, a staunch critic of the President, however, said he complied with all the requirements and that he is a victim of political persecution. Celerina Monte/DMS
