A Makati City court’s decision to put off the issuance of an arrest warrant for Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV for coup d’ etat was interpreted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as a positive development for its bid to lock up the senator, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s most vocal critics. Corruption vs ArroyoOn Friday, Judge Andres Soriano, of the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148, deferred action on a DOJ move to have the court issue an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes for his role in coup attempts against the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Soriano’s predecessor had heard the coup d’ etat case against Trillanes after the 2009 Manila Peninsula takeover by soldiers protesting massive corruption in the then Arroyo administration. Among the mutineers’ leaders was Trillanes, who was then a Navy lieutenant. The President revoked the amnesty issued by then President Benigno Aquino III to Trillanes which was quickly followed by petitions by the DOJ in two Makati RTC branches — 150 and 148 — to revive the rebellion and coup d’ etat cases against the senator.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 29, 2018 21:33 UTC