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Duterte critic arrested as 'darkness and evil' prevail in Philippines Duterte critic arrested as 'darkness and evil' prevail in Philippines
(about 4 hours later)
Rodrigo Duterte’s fiercest critic in the Philippines congress has been arrested after the president revoked his amnesty for a failed coup attempt and revived rebellion charges against him in an unprecedented legal move. Rodrigo Duterte’s fiercest critic in the Philippines congress has been arrested after his amnesty for a failed coup attempt was revoked, the latest persecution of a figure who had voiced opposition to the president.
“Darkness and evil have prevailed in the country,” Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said before walking out of the Senate, where he has sought refuge for weeks. He was taken by police to their headquarters in Makati city, where his fingerprints and mugshot were taken. After being booked by police, Trillanes said he would go to a nearby court to post bail. “Darkness and evil have prevailed in the country,” Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said before walking out of the Senate, where he has has been living in his office since 4 September when, in an unprecedented legal move, the rebellion charges against him were revived by Duterte.
“Definitely our fight will continue,” he told DZMM radio at the police headquarters, where he was accompanied by his lawyers and a number of allied senators. “We will not be cowed by these obstacles in fighting for the truth, justice and democracy.” Trillanes was taken by police to their headquarters in Makati city, where his fingerprints and mugshot were taken. After being booked by police, he secured his temporary release by posting bail of 200,000 pisos (£2,800).
Duterte has been highly sensitive to criticism, especially over his brutal war on drugs, which has left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead since he took office in mid-2016. Trillanes has also accused the president of large-scale corruption and involvement in illegal drugs, which Duterte has denied. “Definitely our fight will continue,” he told reporters at the police headquarters, where he was accompanied by his lawyers and a number of allied senators. “Officially we do not have a democracy any more. This case goes beyond me. We can see that I do not have a criminal record any more because I was already granted amnesty seven years ago. This is a clear case of distortion by Duterte to his critics in politics.”
Duterte said he voided Trillanes’ amnesty last month because the senator had failed to file a formal amnesty request and acknowledge guilt for involvement in at least three failed coup attempts several years ago. Trillanes has strongly denied the president’s claims and has provided news reports and defence department documents to counter them. A second court hearing has now been set for 21 November, when the prosecution will present evidence against Trillanes.
The justice department has asked two courts to issue warrants for Trillanes’s arrest and resume criminal proceedings against him. One of the courts issued the arrest warrant against the senator on Tuesday. Duterte has been increasingly sensitive to criticism, especially over his brutal war on drugs, which has left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead since he took office in mid-2016. Trillanes has proved to be one of Duterte’s most vocal critics, accusing the president and his son of large-scale corruption and involvement in illegal drugs, which Duterte has denied. The senator also backed the preliminary investigation by the international criminal court into possible crimes against humanity being committed by Duterte in his war on drugs.
The arrest of Trillanes follows the incarceration last year of another vocal Duterte critic, Senator Leila de Lima, who is currently in jail on drugs charges she vigorously denies and which human rights organisations have accused of being trumped up.
Duterte said he voided Trillanes’ amnesty last month because the senator had failed to file a formal request and admit involvement in at least three failed coup attempts. The offences against Trillanes were originally cancelled by a 2011 amnesty approved by Duterte’s predecessor, President Benigno Aquino, and Congress.
On Tuesday, the court that granted the Department of Justice’s request for a warrant to arrest Trillanes said it had found “factual and legal bases” for Duterte’s allegations that the senator had not complied with the legal requirements of the amnesty.
However, multiple Philippine lawmakers spoke out against the arrest. Senator Kiko Pangilinan described the order as “illegal and an abuse of presidential powers” and Rep Gary Alejano said: “This administration will do everything to silence Trillanes.”
Trillanes has strongly denied the president’s claims and has provided news reports and defence department documents to counter them.
Aside from the rebellion and coup-related charges in the two courts, Duterte has ordered the military to resume an inquiry into the senator’s role in the mutinies.Aside from the rebellion and coup-related charges in the two courts, Duterte has ordered the military to resume an inquiry into the senator’s role in the mutinies.
Legal experts and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the country’s largest lawyers’ group, have expressed alarm over the legal moves against Trillanes for offences that were cancelled by a 2011 amnesty approved by Duterte’s predecessor and congress. Carlos Conde, Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said: “The arrest today of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is part of the persecution of critics of the Duterte administration, the latest in the relentless campaign to silence those who dared to challenge the president’s murderous ‘drug war’.
The lawyers’ group said the move against Trillanes “runs roughshod over the constitutional guarantee against double jeopardy”, or holding a person to answer twice for the same offence. “Trillanes’s arrest today sends a chilling effect among other critics of the Duterte administration.”
Duterte has also accused Trillanes, without offering evidence, of plotting with other opposition politicians, including the Liberal party and leftist groups, to oust him. Trillanes and opposition groups have dismissed the claim as a lie and asked him to focus instead on addressing poverty, inflation, rice shortages, traffic jams and a decline in the value of the peso. Duterte has also accused Trillanes, without offering evidence, of plotting with other opposition politicians, including the Liberal party and leftist groups, to oust him. Trillanes and opposition groups have dismissed the claim as a lie and asked him to focus instead on addressing poverty, inflation, rice shortages, traffic jams and a decline in the value of the piso.
Associated Press contributed to this report
PhilippinesPhilippines
Rodrigo DuterteRodrigo Duterte
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