Trillanes to challenge proclamation

By VANNE TERRAZOLA

SEN. Antonio F. Trillanes IV said yesterday that he will challenge before the Supreme Court the proclamation of President Duterte voiding his amnesty.

Trillanes said his camp is plan­ning to seek a temporary restrain­ing order before the SC against Proclamation No. 572 which nul­lified the government amnesty granted to him in 2011 and or­dered his arrest.

“Magfa-file kami ng petition for TRO sa Korte Suprema. Kasi ‘to, sa akin, this goes beyond the po­litical lines,” Trillanes said.

His office said they are looking to file the petition yesterday after­noon or today.

The opposition senator said jus­tices of the High Court should be alarmed over the issuance of dec­laration, saying it transcends the authority of the three branches of government. “‘Yong presidential declaration na ‘yon should alarm the justices of the Supreme Court kasi nandoon ‘yong exercise ni Du­terte ng Executive, Legislative, and judicial powers,” Trillanes said.

The staunch Duterte critic claimed that the Chief Executive showed his “dictatorial tenden­cies” in issuing the proclamation.

Trillanes warned the SC against favoring the Proclamation No. 572, which he said, could later allow a President to issue arrest warrants. “‘Yong warrant of ar­rest, pagka in-affirm nila yung presidential declaration, pwede nang mag-issue ng warrant ‘yong President,” he said.

He reiterated that Duterte’s or­der cannot be used as an autho­rization to bring him in detention. On Tuesday, military and police personnel went to Senate in an apparent move to arrest the law­maker, despite the absence of a warrant.

The Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148 has yet to re­lease an arrest warrant against Trillanes as it has yet to hear the motion of the Department of Jus­tice.