MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV will avail all legal remedies to counter the claims of the Duterte administration that the senator did not comply with minimum requirements for his amnesty grant.
Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo Party-list) said that he and other officers of Magdalo were in the Senate yesterday to show support for Trillanes and discuss what actions to take next.
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The lawmaker noted that there are loopholes in the proclamation of President Rodrigo Duterte nullifying the amnesty granted to Trillanes.
The president also directed the military and the police to arrest Trillanes in connection to the charges filed against him for leading coup attempts against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"On the part of the civilian courts, all cases were already dismissed against Sen. Trillanes, against us and on the part of the court martial... they're trying to go around the system," Alejano said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Manila.
Alejano also pointed out that Trillanes was not a part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines anymore when he was imprisoned.
'Don't follow illegal orders'
The Magdalo lawmaker also appealed to the military and the police not to follow illegal orders as Duterte's proclamation has no basis.
Alejano stressed that there is no warrant of arrest and there are no charges against Trillanes.
"Therefore, the order to the AFP and PNP to apprehend Senator Trillanes is an illegal one. I call on the AFP and PNP to not follow illegal orders," Alejano said in a statement released Wednesday morning.
The lawmaker reminded the military and the police that they are sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution.
"The AFP and PNP are not private armies of Duterte. They are the army of and for the Filipino people. Do not stain the integrity of the military and police before the Filipino people by acting as pawns to a dictator," he said.
Meanwhile, a Makati court has set a hearing for the issuance of a hold departure order and an alias warrant against Trillanes.
Presiding Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano has scheduled the hearing on September 13 despite the plea of state prosecutors that a hearing is not needed for a warrant.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has placed Trillanes under his custody to prevent his arrest.