Govt not taking Trillanes case to CA
MALACAÑANG has abandoned its plan to go straight to the Court of Appeals to question a Makati court ruling dismissing the Department of Justice’s motion to arrest Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th for a revived coup d’ etat case.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters by phone that Solicitor General Jose Calida had decided to defer to the DoJ, which wanted to file instead a motion for reconsideration (MR) with the Makati Regional Court (RTC).
Panelo earlier said that Calida would “very soon” file a petition before the Court of Appeals.
But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he and Calida had agreed to file the motion for partial reconsideration before the Makati court first.
“If it is denied, that’s the time the solicitor general will take over…If the ruling will not be reversed, go to the Court of Appeals. That’s it. It’s the same,” he added.
The DoJ plans to file the motion of partial reconsideration before the Makati RTC Branch 148 “not later than Friday (October 26).”
On Monday, Judge Andres Soriano of Makati RTC Branch 148 issued an order denying the DoJ’s motion seeking the issuance of an alias arrest warrant against Trillanes, a former navy officer.
The DoJ filed the motion after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 572, which declared as void ab initio or void from the beginning the amnesty of Trillanes over his participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.
The Palace argues that Trillanes, a leading Duterte critic, did not admit to his guilt. Also, his amnesty application could not be found at the Department of National Defense.
Another court, Makati RTC Branch 150, revived the rebellion case against Trillanes and ordered his arrest on September 25. The senator was allowed to post bail on the same day.
Panelo said Duterte would not intervene in the next moves of the DoJ and the Office of Solicitor General on the case of Trillanes.
Panelo said Duterte’s mere directive was to “do what is best.”
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