Voiding Trillanes amnesty to lead to ‘instability’ of gov’t, says Drilon

Sen. Franklin Drilon (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday claimed that revoking the amnesty given to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and the reopening of cases against him will produce instability in the government.

Drilon stressed that President Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572, which ordered the revocation of Trillanes’ amnesty last August 31, cannot just invalidate an act performed by the three branches of government.

“An amnesty was granted by the executive and the amnesty was concurred in by Congress. The judiciary reviewed and deemed valid the grant of the amnesty resulting in the dismissal of cases against Sen. Trillanes, et. al.,” Drilon said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

“The three branches of government were on the same track. All acted in unison insofar as this case is concerned. Don’t tell me that we can just void that,” he added, noting that having it  “withdrawn unilaterally by the President can put to naught all of these institutions.”

The opposition senator added he is hoping that the Supreme Court will decide on the case “in the way the logic and jurisprudence would dictate, because this is very dangerous.”

Trillanes asked the High Court for a temporary restraining order against the implementation of Duterte’s proclamation.

READ: Duterte revokes Trillanes amnesty, orders his arrest

“If we allow this, it will create such instability and then you can no longer rely on the officials acts of government, including, in this particular case, the executive, the legislative and the judiciary – all three branches of government. Can you imagine the instability that it will cause the society?” Drilon stressed.

Drilon also believed that the cases against Trillanes cannot be reopened as it were already dismissed by the courts.

“It cannot be reopened, because otherwise, there will be no more stability in our society and there will be no more stability in our system because seven years after it’s decided, you go back and say ‘mali yan.’ What will happen?” Drilon said. /je