Former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. (AP File Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday warned of a “divided” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) amid questions raised on the revocation of the amnesty granted to opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Sereno paid a visit to Trillanes, who has been holed up in the Senate since President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 572, voiding ab initio the senator’s amnesty and ordering his arrest.
Talking to media after her visit, Sereno said Duterte has put the AFP in danger when it was not consulted about the proclamation.
No less than Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had admitted that he was not consulted by the President on the issuance of Proclamation No. 572.
READ: Lorenzana not consulted by Duterte on amnesty nullification
“I think they (AFP) have come to the realization now that what President Duterte did by not consulting even the military is very dangerous. In other words, kumbaga pinahamak ni Presidente Duterte ang AFP,” Sereno said.
“Paano? Biruin mo namang buksan ang idea na lahat ng mga amnestiya na naibigay na sa libo-libong sundalo na nagkaroon ng problema sa batas hindi lang sa time ni Cory…eh lahat pala ‘yan ay maaring buksan.”
“Ibig sabihin ‘yung amnestiya na alam ko ay nakuha mismo ni General Carlito Galvez, ‘pag nagbago na po ang administrasyon ay pwede na pong buksan gayundin po ang amnestya ni Sen. Gringo Honasan at marami pa,” she added.
Galvez is the current AFP chief.
Sereno also said Mr. Duterte’s decision to revoke Trillanes’ amnesty was “alarming,” pointing out that the nature of an amnesty should have been “to put an end to a story”
But with the President’s Proclamation No. 572, Sereno feared the issue might create confusion and division within the AFP.
“Ibig sabihin po, imbes na buo ang sandatahang lakas ay magkakawatak- watak sila at laging may agam-agam na ang nasarhan na ay maari pang buksan. Malagim po ang maaring mangyari kung sana po ay pinag-usapan ‘yan,” she pointed out.
Despite this, Sereno remained confident that the military would remain loyal to the Constitution and to the Filipino people. /kga