DOJ asks two courts to issue HDO vs Trillanes

(Eagle News) — The Department of Justice has asked two courts to issue a hold departure order against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who was recently allowed by a Makati court to travel abroad.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the motions were filed before the Davao court hearing the libel case filed against Trillanes, and the Pasay court hearing the inciting to sedition case filed against him.

The libel case was filed by presidential son Paolo Duterte, following the senator’s allegations the former Davao vice mayor was behind the Davao group allegedly involved in smuggling, and his allegations he was part of an international crime syndicate.

The inciting to sedition case, on the other hand, stems from Trillanes’ alleged pronouncements the military should use a machine gun on President Rodrigo Duterte.

The filing of the motions came after Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150, which is hearing a separate rebellion case against  Trillanes, granted the senator’s motion he be allowed to travel to the Netherlands, Spain and United Kingdom from Dec. 11 to Jan. 12, 2019, and to the United States from Jan. 27 to Feb. 10, 2019 so he can attend several activities he said were part of his official function, provided he post a P200,000 bail.

Trillanes, who is out on bail, is facing a separate coup d’etat case before Branch 148 of the Makati RTC.