Against the collective opinion of all lawyers in this country represented by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines which raised the issue of double jeopardy, the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 judge has ordered the arrest of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, thus automatically reviving the rebellion case against him that was already dismissed in 2011.
It was weird judicial acrobatics, an aberration. What made the judge do that?
One’s guess is as good as anybody else’s. But the fact of the matter is, President Duterte, who has damned Trillanes as his mortal enemy, holds the power to make appointments to the Court of Appeals (CA), a dream promotion devoutly wished for by any trial judge.
And if Trillanes decides to elevate the matter to the CA or the Supreme Court, what are his chances of obtaining any relief?
Considering that any CA justice also wishes to be promoted to the high court, or that any sitting Supreme Court justice is up for appointment to the soon-to-be vacated post of chief justice — all at the pleasure or whim of Duterte — is anyone really wondering still?
Despite protestations to the contrary, the Supreme Court has been seen to render decisions recently that please Mr. Duterte. Can any lower court be less “compliant”?
REY CHAVEZ ESCOBAR, rc_esco@yahoo.com