HOAX: Trillanes arrested on September 4

(UPDATED)

Claim: Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was arrested at 4 pm on Tuesday, September 4, and was transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City.

This was in relation to President Rodrigo Duterte’s revocation of the amnesty awarded to him in 2011.

The blog news5.balitangbago.info posted the claim yesterday and embedded an old Associated Press video of the senator after the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege and overlaid it with a logo of TV5’s News5 program and a “headline” supporting the claim. The blog is not associated with TV5.

The video will play for a while, and a pop-up age restriction warning will appear. If clicked, it wil open a Facebook share window with an automatic caption of “#ArrestTrillanes.”

Rating: FALSE

The facts: Trillanes was not arrested and remained at the Senate building in Pasay City as of this posting.

The senator, a vocal critic of the president, faces arrest after Duterte revoked the amnesty granted to Trillanes in 2011, and ordered the police and military to arrest him. Duterte signed Proclamation No. 572 on August 31, declaring Trillanes’ amnesty “void ab initio” or from the start.

According to the proclamation, Trillanes did not comply with the requirements such as passing an application form and admitting his guilt for the coup d’etat and rebellion charges filed against him for his involvement with the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege. The senator had disputed this. (READ: Duterte voiding Trillanes’ amnesty: Everything you need to know)

Trillanes has remained inside the Senate building. Senate President Vicente Sotto III had said he would not allow an arrest inside the Senate to “preserve” its dignity.

While Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148 set a September 13 hearing date on the motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting for an arrest warrant against Trillanes, the Department of National Defense is of the opinion that the Philippine military can arrest the senator without a warrant.

Given the unexpected developments in the case, be wary of posts claiming absolute actions.

These are the recent news reports regarding the matter as of posting time:

• Military can arrest Trillanes without warrant – DND
• Makati court can’t just reopen Trillanes case – IBP
• Amnesty of other Magdalo mutineers to be reviewed too – Roque

– Miguel Imperial/Rappler.com

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