Minority senators want probe of Duterte proclamation

Senate minority. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Five opposition senators on Tuesday filed a resolution asking the Senate to look into the allegedly “fraudulent and erroneous basis” of President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation that ordered the revocation of the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Senate Resolution 887 was filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Bam Aquino, Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Leila De Lima.

In the resolution, the senators asked the appropriate Senate committees to probe Proclamation 572 “for the purpose of looking into possible remedial legislation to prevent and/or avert possible abuse of Presidential powers in the future.”

Duterte signed Proclamation No. 572, declaring as “void ab initio,” or void from the beginning, the amnesty of Trillanes, citing the latter’s alleged failure to comply with the minimum requirements to qualify under an amnesty program.

The proclamation cited the non-availability of a copy of his application for amnesty in the records and Trillanes not expressing his guilt for crimes committed during the Oakwood Mutiny and the Manila Peninsula Hotel Seige.

It also quoted Trillanes saying that he was “not admitting guilt to the mutiny and coup d’etat charges” lodged against him.

Opposition lawmakers have criticized the President’s move, with some even claiming that Duterte is just using his powers to go after his critics.

In filing the resolution, the senators noted that the proclamation was published a day after the Department of National Defense (DND) issued a certification stating that there is no available copy of the amnesty application of Trillanes.

The senators stressed that Trillanes showed documents, photos, and videos to prove that he apply for the amnesty program. They also reiterated that Trillanes made an admission of guilt in the amnesty application form that he signed. /cbb