After being holed up in his Senate office for 3 weeks, opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is finally going home.

Around two hours before the courts closed on Friday, September 28, Trillanes received the Makati court resolution deferring its decision on the justice department’s request for an arrest warrant against him.

With another hearing set on October 5, the senator and his supporters can heave a “temporary sigh of relief,” as lawyer Rey Robles realistically put it.

For the senator, Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano’s decision was a signal for him to finally have the luxury of “chilling out.” He will return home Saturday morning, September 29.

Trillanes announced this in a media briefing after the court decision was issued. “Nais ko rin sabihin na (I just want to say that) with this order, I will now go home. I will now leave the Senate premises,” Trillanes said.

But not right away. The senator, who was ordered arrested by another Makati court earlier this week – but released the same day after posting bail – said he would spend the rest of the day enjoying his victory, though temporary, with people close to him, still in his Senate office.

“Magchi-chill tayo nang konti. Lalasapin natin ang ating temporary victory with friends and family and kaunti sigurong pulutan (We will just chill a bit. We will relish our temporary victory with friends and family, and perhaps, have some snacks),” the senator said.

The senator also expressed confidence that the military will not arrest him under a court martial as he is already a civilian. Prior to his 2011 amnesty, Trillanes left the military when he ran and won as senator in 2007.

“In this order, na maliwanag na hindi na inacknowledge ‘yung validity ng Proclamation ni [President Rodrigo] Duterte. So maliwanag din naman ‘yan sa salaysay ng Korte Suprema at even with the AFP. I believe we have enough to convince the AFP not to do anything beyond their mandate,” Trillanes said.

(In this order, it’s clear that the validity of Duterte’s Proclamation was not acknowledged. That is clear even with the narrative of the Supreme Court and even with the AFP. I believe we have enough to convince the AFP not to do anything beyond their mandate.)

The senator thanked all those who supported him, particularly his fellow senators who allowed him to stay in the Senate since he was initially under threat of a warrantless arrest.

“I believe that we are victorious. At least for this day, the Filipinos won. Our country won against the evil forces of Mr Duterte…by what is right and what is true. The rule of law won,” Trillanes said. – Rappler.com