Aquino: ‘Nobody might believe in amnesty anymore’

MANILA – Former president Benigno Aquino III insisted that the amnesty he granted Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV must not be voided. It was given after the requirements were complied with, stressed Aquino.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation voiding Trillanes’ amnesty could affect the trustworthiness of the government, the former president said.

“Baka wala nang maniwala sa amnesty,” Aquino said in a statement on Thursday. “Ang amnesty kasi parang honor na ng estado iyan e. Ipinagkaloob na sa inyo. Ang kapalit noon ay mananahimik na kayo.”

Trillanes and fellow Magdalo soldiers were involved in three mutiny attempts during the Arroyo administration – the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, the Marines standoff in February 2006 and the Manila Peninsula incident in 2007.

Then President Aquino granted them amnesty in November 2010 via Proclamation 75.

On Aug. 31 Duterte signed Proclamation 572, stating that the amnesty of Trillanes was “void ab initio,” or void from the start, for the latter’s failure to “comply with minimum requirements.”

‘WHY ONLY TRILLANES?’

According to Duterte, Trillanes did not file an Official Amnesty Application Form and “never expressed guilt.”

Trillanes’ application for amnesty was already tantamount to admission of guilt, said Aquino. “When you apply for amnesty, nag-apply ka kasi you were there, you participated in those acts, you were part of that, and therefore you are applying for amnesty.”

Aquino added: “Ang nakapagtataka lang, bakit si (Trillanes) lang? Kung si Trillanes may crime at ang ibang kasama niya equally charged, kung void ang amnesty kay Trillanes, void din ba sa lahat?”

TRILLANES’ APPLICATION MISSING – DND

Trillanes’ application for amnesty is missing, according to the Department of National Defense. The department said they are searching for it.

“Walang available copy. Meron niyan somewhere,” Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a radio interview. “Noong inisyu ang certification, during that time and day, hindi makita. Pero hindi ibig sabihin noon na hindi hinahanap.”

“Sakaling mahanap, he (Trillanes) can use that to validate his claim that he submitted an application and we’re perfectly willing to verify it,” Andolong added./PN