SC will be final arbiter on opposing ruling for Trillanes’ cases – NUPL

THE Supreme Court would be the final arbiter of the conflicting decisions of two co-equal courts handling rebellion and coup d’ etat case of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the heads of two lawyers’ organization said Tuesday.

“The Supreme Court would have the last legal say on divergent rulings of two co-equal trial courts,” lawyer Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said.

The coup d’ etat case for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the rebellion for the Manila Peninsula siege case were dismissed in 2011 following the grant of amnesty to Trillanes pursuant to Proclamation 75. However, after it was discovered that Trillanes allegedly failed to submit his application form and admit guilt, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 572 to revoke the grant of amnesty.

The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) then filed separate motions before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branches 148 and 150 to have the courts order the senator’s arrest, issue a hold departure order and revive the cases that were dismissed seven years ago.

The Makati City RTC Branch 150 that handled the rebellion case granted the motion of the Department of Justice and ordered Trillanes’ arrest.

Meanwhile, Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano who handled the coup d’ etat case shared Alameda’s view. In his order released Monday, he affirmed that the proclamation was valid in terms of its legality as it was an act of the executive allowed under the law. It also does not violate constitutional provision on due process.