Rebellion case vs Trillanes set to continue
MAKATI Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 is set to resume hearing the case against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for the same rebellion charges which were dismissed by the same court back in 2011.
In its Order dated Feb. 22, the Makati RTC “hereby sets the continuation of the presentation of prosecution evidence on March 20, 2019.”
The senator was charged with Rebellion following his role in the Manila Peninsula “siege” in 2007. The same court dismissed the charges after then President Benigno C. Aquino III granted him amnesty in 2011.
But President Rodrigo R. Duterte then issued Proclamation No. 572 in September last year, which revoked the amnesty given to Mr. Trillanes for his rebellion case in Makati RTC Branch 150. It also revoked his amnesty regarding coup d’ etat charges before the Makati Branch 148 in connection with the Oakwood mutiny in 2003.
Makati RTC Branch 150 originally meant to set the presentation of the prosecution’ evidence back in Nov. 21, 2018 but was cancelled due to the pendency of Mr. Trillanes’ Omnibus Motion for Reconsideration regarding the court order
That motion was denied by the court which said that Mr. Trillanes failed to provide sufficient proof to reverse the Makati RTC’s earlier arrest order following the issuance of Proclamation 572. The Court said that Mr. Trillanes was unable to show an “original” version of his amnesty application forms which he had submitted to the Department of National Defense and which subsequently disappeared.