MANILA, Philippines — In light of a Supreme Court ruling noting the president’s order for security forces to wait for a warrant of arrest, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday said he will try to venture out of the Senate premises.
While noting that the Armed Forces of the Philippines has yet to issue a categorical statement that they will not apprehend him, Trillanes in a briefing, said in Filipino: “I will try to go out later. We will see.”
“We’ll do it quietly. We’ll try to do it quietly, so we’ll see,” the senator added.
Earlier on Thursday, Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 allowed Trillanes' legal team and prosecutors to file pleadings and expound their arguments before deciding on whether the court will issue a warrant that the Department of Justice is asking for.
Trillanes’ camp has 10 days to file a supplemental comment and a rejoinder to the Department of Justice’s reply, while the DOJ would be given five days to answer the defense’s supplemental comment.
READ: No warrant as court gives Trillanes, DOJ more time for pleadings
'Arrest would be defiance of Supreme Court'
Banking on President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement last week that he will wait for a court-issued warrant—the same pronouncement noted by the Supreme Court—Trillanes said that he will try to go out of the Senate where he has been staying since Proclamation 572 was issued.
Duterte’s Proclamation 572, published on the classified ads page of the “Manila Times,” said that the amnesty granted to Trillanes is void from the beginning. An order to arrest the senator is also included in the proclamation.
Asked if what would happen if he gets arrested, Trillanes quipped that that would only mean “they are not sincere with their statement.”
It will also be an “open defiance to the SC ruling,” said the senator whom .
Trillanes also added that they would “not resist arrest,” if it happens.
“Hindi tayo manlalaban kung dumating yan, kaya we will see,” he also said, in a possible reference to the narrative purported by the police when drug suspects are killed in operations for "fighting back."
DOJ: Trillanes tends to “hole up”
Meanwhile, state prosecutors, on Thursday, filed their reply at Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148’s hearing on their motion for the issuance of an arrest against the senator.
They made the observation that Trillanes “has the propensity to ‘hole up’ in an enclosed building, establishment and/or institution, as exhibited during the Oakwood Mutiny and Manila Peninsula stand-off.”
This, the state prosecutors said, results in the disruption of business.
“In recent days, one can fairly assume that that disruptive behaviour is being employed in the Senate premises, disrupting its day-to-day operation, while evading the processes of the law,” their Reply further read.
The Senate has been holding hearings and legislative sessions despite Trillanes "holing up" at the GSIS Complex, where the chamber is located. Senate President Vicente Sotto III has said, however, that arresting officers and Trillanes supporters are banned from the premises.
LOOK: Senators do the "Dab" pose with Carlo Paalam (Bronze-Boxing), Rogen Lagon (Silver-Boxing), Cherry Regalado (Bronze-Pencak Silat) and Margielyn Didal (Gold-Skateboarding) pic.twitter.com/F85ikOtqkY
— News5 AKSYON (@News5AKSYON) September 11, 2018
Palace spokesperson Harry Roque has accused Trillanes of milking his continued stay at the Senate for "drama" and "political mileage."
Meanwhile, Trillanes has yet another legal battle on Friday, September 14. This time, the case will be at Makati RTC Branch 150 where he had been charged with rebellion over the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
That case has also been dismissed although prosecutors argue that since the amnesty has been voided, the case should be revived. — Kristine Joy Patag