The Justice department will file an appeal before the Court of Appeals to revive its coup d’etat case against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV over his participation in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, an official said Monday.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he had discussed the matter with Solicitor General Jose Calida, and that they had agreed to file a petition questioning the decision of Makati City regional trial court branch 148 that dumped the department’s motions for the issuance of an arrest warrant and hold-departure order against Trillanes.
“The Office of the Solicitor General will file the petition for certiorari with the Court of Appeals,” Guevarra told reporters.
He said the Solicitor General will challenge the decisions of Judge Andres Soriano against the department, and that the petition will be filed “maybe early January.”
The Justice department filed its motions before the RTC after President Rodrigo Duterte in August issued Proclamation 572, which voided the amnesty granted to Trillanes over his participation in the Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 siege of the Manila Peninsula.
The proclamation cited Trillanes’ failure to comply with the requirements for the grant of his amnesty, including the filing of his application and admission of guilt.
Trillanes, a fierce critic of the President, sought relief from the Supreme Court and filed a petition challenging the proclamation. But the high court dumped his plea for a temporary restraining order and remanded the cases to the trial courts.