Ex-mutineer Faeldon backs Duterte argument, ready to go back to jail

Former mutineer Nicanor Faeldon is willing to go back to jail if his amnesty will also be revoked for failing to go through the proper process.

Faeldon said he agreed with President Rodorigo Duterte that there was a problem with the amnesty that former President Benigno Aquino III granted to soldiers who took part in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny, 2006 Marines standoff, and 2007 Manila Peninsula hotel siege.

Proclamation No. 572

President Duterte issued Proclamation No. 572 on Tuesday last week that voided the amnesty granted to Faeldon’s fellow mutineer Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on the ground that he did not file an application and admit his guilt.

The President later raised a new argument — not mentioned in his proclamation — saying the pardon granted to Trillanes was not valid because his amnesty certificate was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and not by Aquino, who should not have delegated the power.

The issuance of the certificate was pursuant to Aquino’s Proclamation No. 75 granting amnesty to all mutineers.

Also a beneficiary

Faeldon, who is now a deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defense, also benefited from this proclamation.

“If we all agree that an act of pardon and amnesty is an act of the State and can’t be delegated to another official, there’s really a problem,” he told reporters at the Senate.

Trillanes has said he would be willing to go back to jail and submit himself to the courts if there would a warrant issued for his arrest.

Faeldon said he would be willing to be detained if the court would say so, and possibly he would go through an amnesty process again.

“If it will be revoked, I am very willing to go back to jail so that it will pass through the process,” he said.