MANILA, Feb. 21 -- State lawyers asked the Supreme Court (SC) to lift the temporary protection order (TPO) issued in favor of the two environmental activists charged with grave oral defamation.

In a 26-page motion dated Feb. 20 and made public Wednesday, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said the TPO is hindering the implementation of the warrant of arrest against Jonila Fababer Castro and Jhed Reiyana Tamano.

On Tuesday, the Dona Remedios Trinidad Municipal Trial Court in Bulacan province ordered the arrest of Castro and Tamano for grave oral defamation.

The OSG also questioned the issuance of writs of amparo and habeas data by the high court, which it said preempts the proceedings by the Court of Appeals (CA) on evidence agai...