MANILA, Philippines – If a warrant of arrest is issued against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, it should be Senate President Vicento Sotto III who should personally bring him to Camp Crame, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año said on Tuesday, September 11.

“In fact, we encourage kung sakaling magkakaroon (ng warrant), si senate president na lang yung maghatid sa Crame. Ganun lang kasimple,” Año said in a press briefing in Quezon City.

(In fact, we encourage, that if a warrant is issued, the senate president should be the one to bring Trillanes to (Camp) Crame. It’s that simple.)

Why Sotto? The DILG Chief said there was “nothing special” about the case and that the department would continue to uphold the rights of Trillanes.

 Should a warrant be issued against the senator, Año said this would be a “very simple arrest.”

“Wala tayong problema diyan. (We have no problem with that) Everyone here is fair under the rule of law,” he said.

Año said that there was no need to place in the Senate a “strong presence” of the Philippine National Police. The PNP is under the jurisdiction of the DILG. He said the DILG would likewise wait for the courts to decide on Trillanes’ case.

Last week, Trillanes was ordered arrested by President Rodrigo Duterte, after the President signed Proclamation No. 572, which voided the amnesty granted to the senator. The proclamation ordered the military to pursue all criminal charges against the senator and help in arresting him. (READ: Milatary defers action, waits for SC)

Since then, Trillanes has been holed up in his Senate office.

The Supreme Court on September 11, denied Trillanes’ petition stopping the implementation of the order, but said the senator cannot be arrested without a warrant.

The two courts in Makati have yet to issue a warrant against him. – Rappler.com

Follow the developments here: 

• Supreme Court denies Trillanes request for TRO
• Senate minority seeks probe into Duterte’s revocation of Trillanes amnesty
• Amid TRO hiccup, Trillanes ‘grateful’ to SC for recognizing his rights
• EXPLAINER: What the Supreme Court TRO denial means for Trillanes
• Secret houses, mother as Navy supplier? Trillanes denies Duterte claims
• Duterte mentions ‘Trillanes’ 20 times in Q and A
• Lorenzana assures Trillanes: ‘No warrant, no arrest’

Summaries:

• [WRAP | Day 1] Duterte voiding Trillanes’ amnesty: Everything you need to know
• [WRAP | Day 2] Trillanes gets relief from court, DOJ seeks options
• [WRAP | Day 3] Looming Trillanes arrest jolts PH from sleep
• [WRAP | Day 4] Trillanes stays in Senate, Duterte changes tune on warrantless arrest
• [WRAP | Day 5] Family stands by Trillanes as Duterte slams senator
• [WRAP | Day 6] AFP chief Galvez, Honasan push for rule of law in Trillanes case