Palace: Nothing political in the nullification of Trillanes’ amnesty
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday denied the claim of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that the nullification of the amnesty granted to him was a case of political persecution.
“The past finally caught with Sen. Trillanes. He’s responsible for his current state now,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing in Israel.
“He was the one who did the Oakwood mutiny, the Manila Peninsula siege. There is nothing political. These are all his acts,” he also said.
Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation, which nullifies or declares void ab initio the amnesty as if it never happened, “has been in the offing for two years.”
Trillanes refutes claim he did not file for amnesty
According to the proclamation, Trillanes did not apply for amnesty and "never expressed his guilt for the crimes that were committed" during those mutinies.
A January 6, 2011 report by The STAR notes, however, that "Trillanes and 18 other Magdalo officers submitted their application forms to the Department of National Defense Ad Hoc Amnesty Committee at about 2 p.m. in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City."
“It is a combination of the legal teams and the military establishment reviewing the records of Sen. Trillanes,” Roque said.
The president’s mouthpiece claimed that the amnesty granted by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2011 was “political administration on the part of the previous administration.”
“We're saying he was given amnesty by President Aquino because of politics and the declaration of void ab initio is based on law and facts,” Roque said.
In a televised interview with Senate reporters, Trillanes called the proclamation "bogus", saying the best proof that he applied for amnesty is that he was granted it.
"Imagine, bakit ako bibigyan ako ng amnesty kung hindi ako nag-apply (why would they give me that if I did not ask apply for it? That is a very, very clear requirement kasi yun yung tatanggapin mo yung conditions ng nag-grant ng amnesty (you have to accept the conditions of the one granting amnetsy)," he said.
The administration critic questioned the timing of the proclamation, alleging the administration is "trying everything" to stop the legislative probe into Solicitor General Jose Calida's security firm.
Trillanes pushed through with the probe.
- Latest
- Trending
