MANILA -- The Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 has ordered GMA Network to provide a copy of a news report about Senator Antonio Trillanes IV availing of amnesty for soldiers who participated in the series of uprisings against the Arroyo administration.
In an order, Judge Elmo Alameda granted the ex-parte motion of the prosecution for the issuance of a subpoena duces tecum to Marissa Flores, GMA senior vice president for news and public affairs, to submit an authenticated copy of the story titled "Trillanes avails of amnesty, admits breaking rules'".
A subpoena duces tecum or subpoena for production of evidence is a court summon ordering the recipient to appear before the court and produce documents or other tangible evidence for use at a hearing or trial.
“Accordingly, let a subpoena Duces Tecum be issued directing Ms. Marissa Flores, Senior Vice President thru Atty. Jose Vener Ibarra, General Counsel of GMA Network News TV for the production of the duly authenticated copy of the GMA News TV Report entitled: Trillanes avails amnesty, admits “breaking rules” published on January 5, 2011 3:09 p.m. by Mark Meruenas, GMANews TV and to submit it to this court,” read the order.
Alameda also ordered the TV network to furnish the Department of Justice a copy of the report.
Acting Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said their motion is part of their reply to Trillanes’ opposition in connection with the hold departure order (HDO) and an alias arrest warrant on the Senator.
Based on the report, Trillanes admitted that he filled out an application form and signed the sections that state they were agreeing to their "general admission of guilt" that they violated military rules and the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
It cited that despite admitting guilt, Trillanes said he never regretted participating in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
In the 2003 uprising, some 300 soldiers, who collectively identified themselves as the "Magdalo" group, took over a posh hotel in Makati City to air their grievances against the Arroyo administration.
He insisted that he and his colleagues, who participated in the uprising, never denied that what they did in 2003 was something out of the ordinary.
The Makati RTC Branch 150 handled the rebellion case against Trillanes and other Magdalo soldiers over the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.
The case, however, was dismissed after former president Benigno Aquino III issued an amnesty to the mutineers.
In Proclamation 572, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the amnesty given to Trillanes as void ab initio.
During last Friday’s hearing, Alameda ordered the prosecution to submit its reply within five days to the comment/opposition filed by Trillanes on the motion of the DOJ, asking the court to issue a warrant and an HDO against him.
In his comment/opposition, Trillanes insisted that the case against him has been dismissed seven years ago and that it can no longer be revived by a mere proclamation and a motion by the DOJ.
Aside from the reply and rejoinder, both parties have been required to submit their evidence to support their claims.
After the submission of all the pleadings, the court said the case is deemed submitted for resolution.
"Thereafter, the incidents shall be deemed submitted for resolution," the Makati court order read. (PNA)
