Trillanes can already be arrested —Guevarra

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, whose amnesty was revoked by President Rodrigo Duterte, can already be arrested.

This was confirmed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who was designated officer-in-charge while Duterte is on official visit to Israel.

"I guess all of these [cases] would have to proceed and if taking him into custody is an automatic effect of that, then so be it," Guevarra told Palace reporters.

Duterte has issued Proclamation No. 572, which states the amnesty extended to Trillanes over his involvement in unsuccessful attempts to overthrow the Arroyo administration was void from the start.

This was because the opposition senator, a vocal Duterte critic, did not comply with the "minimum requirements to qualify under the amnesty proclamation," the proclamation said.

In a press conference at the Department of Justice, Guevarra explained that the proclamation directs all enforcement agencies to apprehend Trillanes, who is currently at the Senate.

Guevarra said Trillanes can be placed under Senate custody for the meantime.

He also said legislative immunity will not protect Trillanes from arrest.

While the 1987 Constitution allows members of Congress to be privileged from arrest while Congress is in session, it's only for offenses punishable by not more than six years of imprisonment, Gueverra explained.

"Coup d'etat carries the penalty of life imprisonment," he said.

Trillanes has branded the voiding of his amnesty as a case of political persecution but said he was ready for arrest.

Trillanes on Tuesday branded as a political persecution the move of Duterte to revoke his amnesty.

Guevarra defended Duterte's decision, saying amnesty can be reviewed or revoked anytime. —With a report from Virgil Lopez/KG/KBK, GMA News