A FORMER senator critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte has posted bail after a Quezon City court ordered his arrest for allegedly conspiring to commit sedition.

The court recalled his arrest warrant after former Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV paid a P10,000 bail upon arriving in the Philippines yesterday from overseas.

It ordered the ex-lawmaker and 10 other people to enter their pleas on March 17.

The Justice department last month indicted Mr. Trillanes along with 10 other people including for allegedly circulating a series of videos accusing President Duterte and his family of being in the illegal drug trade.

It dismissed the sedition, inciting to sedition, cyberlibel, libel, estafa and obstruction of justice complaint against all 31 respondents, including Mr. Trillanes, Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo, detained Senator Leila M. De Lima, former Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, and other opposition candidates during the midterm elections.

Human Rights Watch earlier said authorities should drop the “preposterous complaint” against opposition politicians, religious leaders and human rights advocates.

It said the case was a “transparent attempt to harass and silence critics” of Mr. Duterte’s bloody drug war. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR