The interpretation of laws has changed under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, lawyer and former presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on Friday.
Lacierda cited as examples how Maria Lourdes Sereno was ousted from the Supreme Court and how the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes was revoked.
“When I was still studying law, we were surefooted on what is the rule of law. Under this administration, honestly, the goalposts have changed,” Lacierda said in an interview with ABS CBN News Channel.
Lacierda explained that a chief justice can only be ousted through an impeachment trial, but Sereno was removed through a quo warranto proceeding.
As for the case of Trillanes, he said since the senator was already granted an amnesty back in 2011, the grant cannot be revoked as the case was already settled.
READ: Arrest Trillanes–Duterte / WHAT WENT BEFORE: Oakwood Mutiny and Trillanes’ 2nd try to oust Arroyo
Lacierda added that the reason cited for the revocation of the amnesty was a “ridiculous proposition.”
“Kung may application form, may admission of guilt yan. It’s plain and simple,” Lacierda said.
“It’s so funny, their argument is just so ridiculous. Pardon me for saying but it’s a ridiculous proposition to say that the amnesty is void ab initio on the ground that there was no application form,” he added. /muf