Following arrest order, Trillanes slams justice under Duterte admin

FILE: Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on Friday, December 7, cried foul over the arrest warrant issued by a local court against him, saying justice under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte works “upside down.”

“Baliktad ang hustisya sa gobyerno ni Duterte. Ang mga mandarambong ay pinalaya na. Ang mga kritiko naman ay gagawan ng kaso para pilit na maikulong (Justice under the administration of Duterte works upside down. Plunderers were set free, while they make up cases against critics just so they can be jailed),” Trillanes, a fierce critic of Duterte, said.

“Regardless, I will face this,” he added.

The Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 54, through Judge Melinda Alconel-Dayanghirang, ordered Trillanes’s arrest on Friday, for his libel cases filed by Presidential son and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.

[READ: Davao City RTC Branch 54 orders Trillanes’s arrest for libel]

Dayanghirang’s order was released on the same day the anti-graft court found former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. not guilty of plunder in connection with his supposed involvement in the multi-billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel scam.

In his statement, Trillanes said he was planning to coordinate with National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar “once the warrant is available, so that I could turn myself in voluntarily.”

He added that he will just post bail on Monday, December 10, after he learned from his lawyers that service of warrants of arrest for “minor cases” like libel is prohibited on Fridays, weekends, and holidays, according to an existing Department of Justice (DOJ) circular.

“Under Article VI, Section 11 of the Constitution, as a member of Congress, I am privileged from being arrested in cases punishable by less than six (6) years imprisonment while Congress is in session,” he explained.

Upon hearing the development on the complaints he filed, the younger Duterte posted a copy of the local court’s order on his Facebook page, along with the caption, “Okay nako ani (I am okay with this). Merry Christmas.”

The Presidential son accused the lawmaker of “downright false, baseless, and unfounded” claims after the latter, in a radio interview last September 2017, said the former vice mayor and his brother-in-law Manases “Mans” Carpio were extorting money from ride-hailing companies such as Uber.

The senator, however, denied the allegation, saying he could not remember having such interview as stated by the younger Duterte.

Trillanes was also ordered arrested by the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 for his rebellion case over the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege, but was then released after he posted a P200,000 bail.