Palace: No politics involved in revocation of Trillanes’ amnesty

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Jerusalem – The plan to revoke the amnesty of Sen. Antonio Trillanes has been in the offing for two years now, Malacañang said on Tuesday, denying speculations that the revocation was politically-motivated.

“There’s nothing political. These are all his acts,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters here.

“This is already two years the offing,” Roque added.

He said Trillanes did not comply with the requirements of amnesty such as the filing of an official application and admitting guilt.

“So the past finally caught up with Senator Trillanes. He is responsible for his current state,” Roque said.

Trillanes, then a former Navy officer, was arrested and put to jail after he led the Oakwood Mutiny in 2003 to oppose then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration marred with corruption controversies.

In 2007, also led the Manila Peninsula siege to call for Arroyo’s ouster.

“There is no doubt that Senator Trillanes violated the law,” Roque said.

“In the end, it is the job of the President to implement the laws; and when a grant of amnesty is void ab initio, it’s part of the role of the President to rescind it or declare it as void ab initio,” the Palace official added.

Roque said the government has given “maximum tolerance” to Trillanes, one of Duterte’s staunchest critics.

“We are saying he was given amnesty by president Aquino because of politics and the declaration of void ab initio is based on law and facts,” Roque said.

“We are not undoing. It never was effective because he did not comply with the requirements,” he added.

The Palace official said granting amnesty to Trillanes was “a political accommodation” of the Aquino administration.

“I think it was the political accommodation on the part of the previous administration,” Roque said.

“It was handed to him on a silver platter by the previous administration,” he added.

Asked if the senator would be arrested anytime soon, Roque said, “In due course, because the case will have to be revived.

Roque said Trillanes could seek legal remedy to the court if he thinks the President erred in his decision.”

“Of course, Senator Trillanes can go to the court if he thinks the President’s apprreciation is wrong,” he said.   /vvp