Arroyo mum on Trillanes’ arrest, revival of rebellion case

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday refused to comment on the revival of the rebellion case against Sen Antonio Trillanes IV and the arrest warrant that came with it.

“No reaction,” replied Arroyo when asked for comment, even when it was pointed out that the charges against Trillanes happened when Arroyo was president.

A warrant of arrest was issued against the senator yesterday after the amnesty he was granted in November 2010 by the Aquino administration in connection with the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege was revoked by the current administration.

The mutiny and the siege both happened during the Arroyo administration. 

In his ruling, Makati Judge Elmo Alameda said he was convinced that Trillanes failed to file his amnesty application with the Department of National Defense, citing the lawmaker's failure to produce an original copy or photocopy of his application form.

The DND had earlier admitted that the form had gone missing. With a DND certification indicating that the agency has no record of the senator's application form, the court said the burden to prove its existence now shifted to Trillanes.

The court did not give credence to an amnesty certification issued by then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin to Trillanes, as well as news reports and footage showing the senator filing his application.

In the same ruling, however, Alameda gave weight to a part of a GMA News online report quoting Trillanes as saying he was not admitting guilt to the rebellion and coup d'etat charges against him. 

Trillanes on Tuesday secured a temporary liberty after posting a P200,000 bail. — MDM, GMA News