Makati court orders Trillanes arrest

A Makati judge has ordered the arrest of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, almost three weeks after the government moved for his detention following the nullification of his amnesty.

Judge Elmo Alameda of the Makati Regional Trial Court's Branch 150 granted the Department of Justice's motion for the issuance of a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against the opposition senator on Tuesday.

Trillanes can post bail in the amount of P200,000 as per a 2010 court directive, according to the 22-page order.

A sheriff accompanied by a police official has already left the court and was headed for the Senate as of posting time, according to a report on News TV Live by Super Radyo dzBB's Sam Nielsen.

Alameda was the same judge who handled the rebellion case against Trillanes over the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege. He dismissed it in 2011 pursuant to the amnesty received by the former Navy officer.

Trillanes' lawyer argued that a case that had been dismissed seven years ago cannot simply be "resurrected." On the other hand, the DOJ said the amnesty voiding stripped the dismissal of basis.

The DOJ has another pending motion for Trillanes' arrest before the Makati RTC Branch 148, which handled and dismissed the coup d'etat case against him over the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.

The motion before Branch 148, where both Trillanes and the government submitted similar arguments, has not yet been submitted for resolution.

President Rodrigo Duterte "revoked" Trillanes' amnesty in late August over his staunch critic's alleged failure to comply with two minimum requirements: filing an application and admitting his guilt.

Trillanes has shown documentary proof to deny the charges. He is also contesting the constitutionality of Duterte's move before the Supreme Court. —NB/KG/RSJ, GMA News