For opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, staying in jail is just a matter of adjusting.

The senator is awaiting the verdict of Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148, whether it will issue an arrest warrant and a hold departure order against him.

The Makati court is handling the plea of the Deparment of Justice (DOJ) to revive coup charges against Trillanes for his participation in the failed Oakwood mutiny in 2003 against the Arroyo administration. 

“Sasama ako. Wala na ‘yun (request). Dirediretso man ako kung saan ako dadalhin,” Trillanes told reporters in a media briefing on Wednesday, September 26. (I will go with them. I don’t have any requests. I will go wherever they bring me.)

He said he would surrender to authorities when the time comes.

Should Branch 148 grant DOJ’s petition, Trillanes would be the second opposition senator to be jailed under the Duterte administration. He said doesn’t know yet where he would be detained, if ever.

“We are prepared for the worst. Yayakapin ko ‘yang eventuality na ‘yan. (I will embrace that eventuality),” he added.

On Tuesday, September 26, another Makati court, Branch 150, issued an arrest warrant and a hold departure order against Trillanes for the charge of rebellion. The charge is bailable, however, so the senator just posted a P200,000 bail, and went back to the Senate. 

The charges he is facing before Makati RTC 148, however, are non-bailable, and Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano had said he would issue a decision by the end of September. 

In the face of a looming arrest, the senator said his family is also ready. “It’s for them anyway,” he said.

“In-explain ko nga na, in the end, bansa din nila ito. This is also their country. Pagka-isuko ko itong laban na ito, mamamayagpag si Duterte,” Trillanes said. (I explained to them that, in the end, it’s also their country. This is also their country. If I give up this fight, Duterte will prevail.)

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 572, seeking to revoke the amnesty granted to Trillanes, declaring it “void ab initio” because of Trillanes’ supposed failure to comply with the basic requirements of filling up an application form and admitting his guilt, although media records and officials of the past administration attested he did.

Since the controversy broke out 3 weeks ago, Trillanes has been holed up in the Senate, where he is shielded from warrantless arrest. – Rappler.com