PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not intervene in the next moves of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Solicitor General (OSG), after a Makati court junked the government's petition for Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's arrest, MalacaƱang said Wednesday, October 24.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President has no plans of giving orders to the DOJ and the OSG.
Panelo said Duterte's mere directive was to "do what is best."
"Everyone will have to ask advice either from me or directly to the President. But mostly, hindi na kailangan mag-paalam kay Presidente kasi ang marching orders palagi do what is best for you to do," the Palace official said in a phone-patch interview with Palace reporters.
(Everyone will have to ask advice either from me or directly to the President. But mostly, the agencies no longer need to ask permission from the President because his marching orders is to always do what is best for you to do.)
"Walang latest directive si Presidente. Hindi nakikialam si Presidente diyan, palaging pinapabayaan niya 'yung mga sangay mag-desisyon. Ever since ganyan ang style niya," he added.
(There is no latest directive from the President with regard to Trillanes's case. He does not meddle. He always lets each branch of government to make their own decision. That's his style ever since.)
The DOJ is set to file a motion of partial reconsideration before the Makati RTC Branch 148 "not later than Friday (October 26)," instead of the OSG questioning the court's decision before the Court of Appeals.
Panelo earlier said Solicitor General Jose Calida will "very soon" file a petition before the Court of Appeals.
But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he and Calida have agreed to file the motion for partial reconsideration before the Makati court first.
"Ang DOJ naman ang nag-file, sila nag-file sa RTC kaya hayaan na muna (The DOJ was the one that filed the petition. So let it be since it was the one who filed before the RTC)," Panelo said.
"'Pag na-deny (If it is denied), that's the time the SolGen will take over... Kung di mare-reverse dumeretso ka na. ganoon lang 'yan. Pareho lang yan (If the ruling will not be reversed, go to the CA. That's it. It's just the same)," he added.
On Monday, October 22, the Makati RTC denied the DOJ's petition for an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes in relation to the dismissed coup d' etat case.
The case was dismissed in 2011 after Trillanes was granted amnesty by the Aquino administration.
President Duterte's Proclamation 572, signed on August 31, voided the amnesty granted to Trillanes and ordered the revival of cases against the senator.
Another court, Makati RTC Branch 150 revived the rebellion case against Trillanes and ordered his arrest on September 25. The senator was allowed to post bail on the same day.
Trillanes, a former Navy officer, was charged with rebellion and coup d' etat after he took part in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege against the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. (SunStar Philippines)