Efforts to silence Senator Antonio Trillanes by voiding the amnesty granted to him, reflect President Rodrigo Duterte’s current state, Senator Leila de Lima alleged on Tuesday.
“Nagpapanic na si Duterte. Nasusukol na sya sa kanyang mga kawalanghiyaan, kabuktutan, kasinungalingan at asal-diktador,” De Lima said in a statement.
Both De Lima and Trillanes are staunch critics of the President.
De Lima, who is currently detained due to drug-related charges, believes that the President is facing a growing opposition because more Filipinos have allegedly felt the wrongs of his administration, such as the increase in prices of basic goods.
“Lumalaki na ang oposisyong umaalma sa kanya. Kaya binabalingan ni Duterte ang mga lider na gaya ni Sen. Sonny [Trillanes],” she said.
“It was simply a political move to try to silence Senator Trillanes. Another palpable case of political persecution,” she added.
On Tuesday morning, Malacañang released Proclamation 572, signed by the President on August 31, revoking the amnesty given to Trillanes by former President Benigno Aquino III.
The amnesty was for cases filed against him for the mutinies in 2003 and 2007, under the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
READ: Duterte revokes Trillanes amnesty, orders his arrest
Baseless claims
According to De Lima, claims that there are lapses in the request for amnesty are baseless.
She said it is not possible that Trillanes was given an amnesty without applying or without admitting that he was guilty of crimes charged against him.
“That Sen. Trillanes did not allegedly apply for amnesty, and that he did not supposedly make an admission of guilt, as stated in Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572, are obviously baseless,” De Lima noted.
“There are records proving these, I’m sure. At nagsusumigaw ang maraming media sources noong Enero 2011 na nagsumite si Sen. Sonny ng amnesty application at may pag-amin sya sa mga diumano’y pagkakamali nyang nagawa,” she explained.
De Lima said Duterte alone cannot reverse the amnesty.
“Also, Proclamation No. 75, s. 2010 issued by then Pres. Aquino, which granted amnesty to Sen. Sonny and his group, was concurred in by both Houses of Congress via Concurrent Resolution No. 4 in 2010,” De Lima said, echoing the sentiments of other lawmakers.
“Such joint act of Congress and the Executive cannot just simply be undone or abrogated by Duterte alone,” she added.
READ: Aquino: Revocation of Trillanes amnesty needs Congress nod
“If there is zero basis in fact and in law to revoke Sen. Sonny’s amnesty, then, why did Duterte issue his Proclamation? Walang legal, legal dito,” De Lima claimed. /vvp
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