(Eagle News)–Senator Chiz Escudero urged the Supreme Court to act on Senator Antonio Trillanes’ petition challenging Proclamation No. 572 and seeking to put a stop to its implementation.
“O kung matatagalan pa ang kanilang pagpapasya, sana ikonsidera nila ang pag-isyu muna ng TRO (temporary restraining order). The right of a person to liberty cannot be made to depend on the Court’s absence or lack of action on an issue,” Escudero said.
Earlier, the SC, without acting on the main case, denied Trillanes’ request for a TRO on the proclamation that declares the amnesty granted to him also for the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 void ab initio.
For this, the SC noted that President Rodrigo Duterte himself had said Trillanes would not be arrested without a warrant of arrest from a civilian court.
Branch 150 of the Makati Regional Trial Court, where Trillanes faces a rebellion case, issued a warrant for his arrest this week.
The senator managed to post bail for his temporary liberty.
Escudero pointed out that Trillanes was facing a separate coup d’état case in Branch 148, which could issue a warrant for his arrest as well.
Coup d’état is a non-bailable offense.
According to Escudero, without an immediate issuance of a TRO from the High Court, the president’s proclamation “remains valid and can be used as a basis for the regional trial court to issue orders and decisions such as the arrest of Trillanes.”
“Hindi ko sinasabihan ang Korte Suprema na paboran si Senator Trillanes, paboran si Pangulong Duterte. Magpasiya lamang sila upang may tinatayuan talaga ang anumang pinag-uutos ng husgado kaugnay sa pag-isyu o hindi ng warrant,” Escudero said.
